Chipcor Developers Takes Over School of Excellence, With Major National Revival Plan

Owners of Premier League club Chippa United, Chipcor Developers, led by businessman and football executive Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi, has been officially appointed as the new custodian of the historic Transnet School of Excellence.

Recognised for producing some of the country’s top football exports, the School of Excellence is now set for a full-scale revival aimed at restoring its status as a premier national talent hub.

According to the statement, the school’s restoration mandate has now been extended “onto a national platform,” with the revival plan including “upgrading its training grounds, academic spaces, living residences, maintenance systems, security infrastructure, and operational model.”

A National Centre of Excellence for Youth

The revitalised institution aims to draw learners from across all nine provinces and equip them with elite football training, academic support, life skills, and holistic personal development.

The statement notes that the goal is to “re-establish the institution as a national centre of excellence… providing a strong educational backbone for the next generation.”

Currently catering for Grade 8 to Grade 12 learners, the school intends to strengthen its role in both youth education and structured sports development for boys and girls.

Mpengesi’s Track Record in Reviving Sports Infrastructure

Mpengesi’s involvement in rebuilding public sports assets began during his tenure at Philippi Stadium in the Western Cape.

The once-neglected venue was transformed into an active football centre that attracted professional matches and ignited township economic activity. The statement highlights how the revival “stimulated small business activities, strengthened football culture, and restored pride in an area long overlooked.”

However, after the facility was reclaimed by the provincial department and left to deteriorate, Mpengesi’s success stood in stark contrast to its decline, underscoring “the importance of sustainable, community-aligned management models” in Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs).

His later takeover of the abandoned ABSA Stadium in Buffalo City Municipality — now BCM Stadium — further showcased his capability. Once associated with crime and neglect, the stadium was restored into a safe, functional sports venue that now hosts Betway Premiership matches as Chippa United’s second home ground.

Mpengesi also expanded into youth education through Chippa College, a secondary school with its own sports academy based at BCM Stadium.

Key National Partnerships on Board

To fully restore the School of Excellence, Chipcor Developers and the Chippa Mpengesi Foundation plan to collaborate with significant national and regional partners, including:

• National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)
• Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
• Department of Basic Education
• Department of Higher Education
• Ekurhuleni Municipality
• SAFA (South African Football Association)
• PSL (Premier Soccer League)
• Several corporate sponsors through CSI programmes

These partnerships, the statement says, will ensure the school becomes “a sustainable, well-resourced institution aligned to South Africa’s long-term youth development needs.”

Commercial Hotel Planned to Boost Tourism and Access

Chipcor has also announced plans to develop a top-tier commercial hotel on the campus — a modern accommodation hub positioned less than 10 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport. The initiative is expected to strengthen local tourism and support sporting events and visitors to Gauteng.

The hotel will “anchor the school within the Ekurhuleni tourism landscape, adding commercial and developmental value to the region,” the statement confirms.

Chipcor’s National Capabilities Strengthen Delivery of Vision

Chipcor Developers’ national footprint — from student accommodation projects to retail and industrial developments — strengthens its ability to carry out the large-scale revival. The company recently redeveloped the well-known KrugerPark building in Pretoria West into 1,500-bed student accommodation and built a mega fuel storage facility at the Transnet Watloo pipeline terminal, among other projects.

Transnet Handed Over the School After Sustainability Concerns

The School of Excellence had struggled financially in recent years, forcing Transnet to temporarily assume responsibility to protect the learners. The statement explains that while Transnet safeguarded the academy, “maintaining the academy long-term did not fall within its core business mandate.”

This prompted the decision to find a capable external custodian who could “protect its legacy and operate it sustainably.”

The transfer process followed a formal Request for Information (RFI) stage and a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP), resulting in Chipcor Developers being selected.