Chippa Mpengesoi shares motive behind School of Excellence purchase

Earlier this week, Mpengesi revealed that, through one of his companies Chipcor Developers, he had officially taken over stewardship of the iconic football academy. 

Speaking on Metro FM’s Sports Night Amplified with Andile Ncube, the Chippa boss outlined the reasons behind the decision, emphasising the importance of preserving a historic institution that has produced generations of South African talent.

"It's not even about leasing – a 20-year or 30-year lease, that development now belongs to – God has given it to me," said Mpengesi.

"So obviously there was a competitive bid, where Transient was looking for what they call 'a donor' because the school was about to be closed.

"Look, I want to also make this disclaimer, this project of School of Excellence has nothing to do with Chippa United – it's not linked with Chippa United in anyway.

"Chippa United is safe there in the Eastern Cape, it's got its own academy and all this, but this one, I'm just here to continue and drive the legacy of cheering the poor black child of South Africa."

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The SOE was due to shut its doors permanently in December before Mpengesi stepped in, noting that one of his missions in life was to help the needy, and he could not watch the talent at the school go to ruins. 

"A sad story, when I was there yesterday, now that they are finishing and are about to close the school, [the boys] are going home and the principle was telling us that some students don't have a place to go because their parents are no longer alive or there's no one at home," he shared.

"So most of those kids who are there are from extremely poor families, so I'm happy because that's my passion – if you follow my story, you'll hear that I've been doing a lot of donations.

"There's nothing, by the way, that gives me more joy than helping people – if you were to ask me to win for Chippa United or when someone cries and says, 'Thank you for what you have done,' which one makes you happy?

"I mean, I gave another house to another 100-year-old woman, she came to me crying and said, 'My son, I've never owned a house.' She hugged me and I felt that hug, and I was very happy.

"So it was given to somebody, the right person, and I was telling Transnet people that, even though it was a competitive bid as I said – there were big names, people were bidding, but unfortunately they couldn't make it, and we got it."

Mpengesi also revealed he will be sitting down with the Premier Soccer League hierarchy to discuss a league-wide collaboration with the school, instead of enriching himself with the talent pool.