Chippa United chair Siviwe Mpengesi is moving to revive the struggling School of Excellence in Ekurhuleni and broaden his role in South African youth football.
Mpengesi is extending his football footprint beyond the Eastern Cape, adding the Gauteng-based institution to a growing portfolio that includes the Buffalo City Stadium and the newly launched Chippa College.
Chippa United released a statement on social media last week, saying that Chipcor Developers, a subsidiary of Chippa Holdings, owned by Mpengesi, had been appointed as the new custodian of the Safa-Transnet Soccer School of Excellence.
The school is based in Elandsfontein, Ekurhuleni, with a mission to develop talented, underprivileged boys aged 12-19 while providing education through the matric level.
The Safa-Transnet Soccer School of Excellence was founded in 1994 and has groomed several stars over the years, including recent graduates Siyabonga Mabena, Relebohile Mofokeng, Kutlwano Lethlaku, Emile Witbooi and Boitumelo Radiopane.
Other icons such as Steven Pienaar, Bernard Parker, Aubrey Modiba, Keagan Dolley, Jackson Mabokgwane, Ndumiso Mabena, Daine Klate and Selaelo Rasebotsa also had their careers shaped at the institution.
Despite unearthing talent, the academy had fallen on tough times, with Transnet announcing in early May that it had issued a request for information (RFI) for prospective donors to operate and own the school.
Transnet’s withdrawal took with it R20m of investment a year.
After the RFI process, Transnet donated the property to Chipcor Developers, which beat off a shortlist of interested companies.
The statement last week detailed Mpengesi’s plan to rebuild the legacy of the Soccer School of Excellence.
“The appointment at the School of Excellence now extends this restoration mandate onto a national platform,” the release said.
“The school’s revival plan includes upgrading its training grounds, academic spaces, living residences, maintenance systems, security infrastructure and operational model.
“The goal is to re-establish the institution as a national centre of excellence, drawing youth from all provinces and equipping them with elite football training, strong academic foundations, life skills, and personal development support for both girls and boys.
“The School of Excellence already accommodates learners from grade 8 to grade 12, providing a strong educational backbone for the next generation.
“As part of this broader vision, Chipcor Developers and the Chippa Mpengesi Foundation intend to collaborate with key national and regional partners.”
The National Youth Development Agency, department of sport, arts and culture, department of basic education, department of higher education, Ekurhuleni municipality, Safa, PSL and various corporate sponsors were listed as prospective partners.
There are also plans to develop a “top-tier commercial hotel” on the campus, which is less than 10 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport.
“We thank God for this opportunity and for trusting us with a school that has shaped giants of South African football,” Mpengesi said in the statement.
“This is more than a project — it is a calling to serve the youth, uplift communities.
“We will do everything in our power to restore, protect and elevate this great institution for the next generation.”
Chippa United is currently on a three-year agreement with the metro, which runs from July 2023 to June 2026, and includes a R7m relocation fee, R6m in sponsorship and R500,000 for marketing.
The sport, recreation, arts and culture committee has been at pains trying to get Mpengesi physically to the Bay to present the club’s close-out report for the year, to account.
Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the city encouraged the growth and development of sport, and Chippa United, like any other registered organisation, had the legal right to pursue its business and development objectives.
“Chippa United and its subsidiaries are independent entities that are not owned or controlled by the municipality.
“They are entitled to manage their affairs and explore opportunities that advance football development locally, provincially and nationally.
“The municipality remains committed to exercising appropriate oversight over the club in relation to any agreements it holds with us, and we will continue to ensure compliance with those agreements,” he said.
Soyaya said football was a national asset, and its development benefited the sport as a whole, whether it occurred in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Eastern Cape, or elsewhere in the country.
“While the municipality supports initiatives that grow talent within the metro, we recognise that private entities such as Chippa United are fully entitled to invest in development programmes wherever they choose, in line with their strategic objectives.
“As always, the municipality will continue to uphold its oversight responsibilities in respect of any agreements it has with the club.”
The Herald