NWU: Empowering our communities

The North-West University (NWU) is committed to bettering the lives of the communities it serves and is proud of its investment in local communities to aid in their health, prosperity and development.
The NWU is a unitary institution with campuses in Mahikeng, Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark.
In addition to its 587 registered community engagement projects and the 490 community engagement activities in 2021 alone, the NWU has embarked on a supplier development initiative aimed at developing small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the areas where the university’s campuses are located.
This forms part of the NWU’s Prefe- rential Procurement Principles as adopted by Council. This means that – as far as possible – NWU involves local expertise in its facilities projects, and includes construction and maintenance services, subcontracting, skills development, labour and material and equipment supply.
NWU is also proudly transparent in its facilities building and procurement processes and believes that working together can help secure a better future for all.
For local communities, this has meant that:
• 55 SMMEs were appointed to the new student housing project on the Mahikeng Campus.
• The targeted local expenditure for this project was R61,6 million, and the actual local expenditure was R91 million.
• On the Vanderbijlpark Campus, the targeted local expenditure for the construction of the new Psychosocial building is
R6,373,564.
• Since June 2022, R27 million has been awarded to local smaller subcontractors across the NWU’s campuses.
• In total, 76 per cent of procurement expenditure can be recognised as B-BBEE spend, with 45 per cent of that spent on companies with a level 1 and 2 B-BBEE rating.
• On the Mahikeng Campus, a subcontract for services was given to a female-owned cleaning service.
• On the Potchefstroom Campus, two local subcontractors have been appointed for the cleaning services for three years. In addition, two local SMMEs have been appointed for a landscaping and turf contract on the Potchefstroom Campus.
• The NWU has compiled a database of local jobseekers – general labourers and skilled labourers – to consult whenever a contractor needs labourers on site.
• An integrated digital database on which SMMEs can register and from which they can be sourced for quotations and closed tenders will be communicated to our local communities through our local media outlets early in 2023.
The NWU Council and management are dedicated to ensuring that the university adds value to the local communities surrounding its campuses, and NWU is embedding these principles in policies and business processes to ensure that this vision is actively implemented and reported on. NWU is unwavering in its strategy to transform and position it as a unitary institution of superior academic excellence with a commitment to social justice. NWU is excited that its communities can be part of this journey and thanks you for your support.