Covid-19, the virus of uncertainty: the dominoes are falling one by one in the economy
The Covid-19 virus is causing unprecedented uncertainty on a global scale. An economist from the North-West University (NWU) says the impact of the pandemic is expected to be greater than that of the Spanish flu of a century ago. According to Prof Danie Meyer, a development economist and director of the TRADE research focus area at the NWU,…
Remembering Prof Claassen
He strode the red, rich earth of the old Western Transvaal like a colossus, this enigma of a man. Hard and uncompromising, dedicated to the extreme. For decades his name was known in rugby circles the world over as a Goliath of the game. And I got to wear his blazer once. In the amateur days of the sport – when “bricklayer” was your…
Dit is hoekom jy sukkel om te slaap
As jy in die vroeë ure van die oggend op enige sosialemediaplatform inskakel, sal jy heel waarskynlik ’n klomp mense aanlyn aantref. Sedert die land ’n paar weke gelede as gevolg van Covid-19 die staat van inperking betree het, sukkel Suid-Afrikaners om aan die slaap te raak. Prof Pieter Kruger, ’n konsultant- kliniese sielkundige en direkteur…
This is why you have been struggling to sleep
If you log on to any social media platform in the early hours of the morning you are likely to find a lot of people online. Since the country went into lockdown due to Covid-19 a few weeks ago, South Africans have been struggling to fall asleep. Prof Pieter Kruger, a consultant clinical psychologist and director of the NWU’s Centre for Health…
Finding meaning in life after several losses experienced as a result of Covid-19
All over the world the coronavirus pandemic has created a new, unknown and challenging reality that is accompanied by various significant losses. Such losses are far more than just the financial impact on individuals – they also include other losses that have an impact on our mental health. Weddings are cancelled or postponed, we are unable to…
NWU engineers create solution for school-based Covid-19 screening congestion
In the times in which we currently find ourselves, adequate healthcare and the accompanying screening are of the utmost importance to limit the spreading of the coronavirus. As the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, recently announced that Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners will be able to return to schools come 1 June, the same risk-…
NWU virtual fun run a runaway success
The first virtual 5-km fun run the North-West University (NWU) hosted on 16 May was a runaway success. More than 600 runners from as far as New Zealand, Germany and China took part in the online event. All the runners needed to participate was a smartphone and a fitness device to enter their times on Wufoo at the end of their run. All the…
NWU alumus’ business idea mushrooms to the top in business innovation competition
On 6 May 2020 North-West University (NWU) alumnus Sydwell Sihlangu walked away as one of the winners of the Regional Connect Health Open Innovation Challenge with his business idea about establishing a mushroom hub. “Informed by the current Covid-19 pandemic, the focus of this competition was to address challenges affecting the health and…
Further cut in interest rates is another valuable mitigating step
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the repo rate by another 50 basis points on 21 May. Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School, says this underscores the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) resolve to provide the necessary monetary support in light of the economic impact of the prolonged Covid-…
Amanda is die NWU in Vanderbijlpark se elite netbalafrigter
Amanda Dreyer is ʼn netbalafrigter sonder weerga, en is tans een van slegs twee elite netbalafrigters in die Sedibeng-streek. Sy is ook die afrigter van die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) se netbalspan in Vanderbijlpark. In die tyd waarin die Covid-19-pandemie die sportwêreld vir eers tot stilstand gedwing het, is Amanda baie opgewonde oor haar…
Amanda is NWU Vanderbijlpark’s elite netball coach
Amanda Dreyer is a netball coach without equal, and is currently one of only two elite netball coaches in the Sedibeng region. She is also the coach of the netball team of the North-West University (NWU) in Vanderbijlpark. In the time in which the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the world of sport to a temporary standstill, Amanda is very excited…
NWU se Fanie Roos gaan PGA-SA-klasse aanbied
Fanie Roos, ’n dosent in Sportbestuur aan die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) is baie ernstig oor gholf – op die baan asook in die lesinglokaal. Fanie het twee jaar gelede die hoofopskrifte gehaal toe hy die eerste NWU-akademikus was wat die gesogte Professionele Gholfspelersvereniging van Suid-Afrika (PGA-SA) toegespreek het, en sedertdien is hy…
NWU’s Fanie Roos to lecture PGA-SA classes
Fanie Roos, a lecturer in Sport Management at the North-West University (NWU), is serious about golf – both on the course and in the lecture room. Two years ago, Fanie made headlines when he became the first NWU academic representative to address the prestigious Professional Golfers Association of South Africa (PGA-SA), and ever since he has…
NWU to host virtual Africa Day event
Africa Day is commemorated annually to acknowledge and celebrate the African Union’s successes in its fight against colonialism and apartheid. Furthermore, this event recognises the progress made by the African continent, and also reflects on challenges that Africa continues to face. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this will be a virtual event…
The men who shaped the NWU’s Varsity Cup teams
A rugby fraternity is a band of like-minded brothers, a group of men and women who believe that no inch should be yielded in pursuit of winning the game. There are the custodians of the game, the administrators and the various specialists employed to ensure that this goal is reached. However, none are more in the spotlight than the coaches,…
Skool vir Tale betreur die heengaan van taalveteraan
Die personeel, studente en lede van die Suid-Afrikaanse taalgemeenskap betreur die heengaan van prof Johannes Lenake – of Oom Johan, soos hy alombekend was. Hierdie taalveteraan het op 91-jarige ouderdom steeds sy skat van kennis met studente van die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) se Vanderbijlparkkampus gedeel. Prof Lenake is op 21 Mei 2020…
School of Languages mourns passing of language veteran
Staff, students and members of the South African language community are mourning the passing of Prof Johannes Lenake – or Oom Johan, as he was fondly known. At 91 years of age, this language veteran still shared his wealth of knowledge with students from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus. Prof Lenake passed away on 21…
NWU-kolfkoning droom van beroepskrieket
Dit kos mannemoed en durf om ʼn kolfbeurt te open en ʼn vasberade aanvangsnelbouler stip in die oë te kyk. Die 22-jarige Ruan Havenga, aanvallende aanvangskolwer van Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) se krieketspan in Vanderbijlpark, laat hom egter nie van stryk bring nie en droom daarvan om homself as ʼn beroepskrieketspeler te vestig. Dit kom van…
NWU batting king dreams of professional cricket
A great deal of courage and grit are needed to open an innings and look a determined opening fast bowler unwaveringly in the eye. However, 22-year-old Ruan Havenga, attacking opening batsman of the cricket team of the North-West University (NWU) in Vanderbijlpark, remains unfazed and dreams of establishing himself as a professional cricketer…