The authors are Cornia Pretorius and Prof Piet Prinsloo, whose very different but complementary books offer valuable information and are captivating reads on the creation of the NWU.

 

Cornia penned the book titled Forging Unity: The story of the North-West University’s first ten years and Piet wrote North-West University (NWU): A merger and incorporation story, 2004 – 2014. Both books were launched in December at the vice-chancellor’s residence in Potchefstroom.

 

They were written as part of a project commissioned by the office of the vice-chancellor.

 

The authors retained full independence on the content. Both books cover the same period, but their focuses differ.

 

Former rector documents history

 

Piet is a former rector of the campus in Vanderbijlpark and a history professor.

 

His book is a more formal, document-based history of the NWU. It tells the organisational story of the NWU within the context of the changing higher education landscape and the university’s own unique makeup.

 

North-West University (NWU): A merger and incorporation story, 2004 – 2014 was published as an electronic book and should be read in tandem with Cornia’s book.

 

Journalistic focus on important figures

 

Forging Unity: The story of the North-West University’s first ten years is a popular or journalistic history of the people of the NWU and how they interacted in the emotionally charged merger process.

 

Cornia is a lecturer at the NWU and a former journalist with the Sunday Times, Mail & Guardian and Beeld. Her book also covers the dramatic events that led to the premature departure of former vice-chancellor, Dr Theuns Eloff.