A fresh chapter unfolds for the School of Excellence with Chipcor Developers
A new and promising chapter has started for the School of Excellence and, perhaps, with it a return to prominence.
Chipcor Developers, a subsidiary of Chippa Holdings and its founder, Siviwe Mpengesi, also known as Chippa, a businessman and the owner of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, Chippa United, have been designated as the new guardians of the historic Transnet School of Excellence.
The announcement was made in a press statement on Tuesday.
The School of Excellence stands as one of South Africa’s most esteemed development football institutions, having cultivated numerous players who have gone on to successful careers, both locally and internationally.
Their outstanding alumni includes Steven Pienaar, a former captain of Bafana Bafana, who enjoyed a lengthy and successful career abroad with Ajax Amsterdam, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Sunderland.
Another distinguished graduate is Daine Klate, one of the most decorated players in the South African PSL, who enjoyed a 15-year playing career with SuperSport United, Orlando Pirates, Bidvest Wits, and Chippa United.
Recent alumni include Relebohile Mofokeng, Kutlwano Lethlaku, Siyabonga Mabena, Boitumelo Radiopane, and Emile Witbooi, who moved to Cape Town City in January 2024. Later that same year, Witbooi was named in the SuperSport Schools Class of 2024.
All of those young and exciting footballers have not only emerged as standout players at PSL clubs like Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, but they have also formed the core of South Africa’s national development teams, at u17 and u20 level. Both sides represented the country on the world stage this year at the u17 and u20 FIFA World Cups.
Despite its recording of unearthing and developing talented players, the School of Excellence has struggled for the past two seasons
In the 2025 Gauteng Development League (GDL), the u19 team finished 15th and the u17 team 17th, just above Elspark United, who were relegated. The u15 team performed better, securing fourth place, while the u14 team finished 14th, and the u13 team was last, in 16th place.
Now, the School of Excellence could be poised for a revival. Mpengesi has a successful history with Chippa United. His commitment to restoring public sports infrastructure was also seen with his revitalisation of the Philippi Stadium in Cape Town, which turned it into a vibrant football venue in a township community, the birthplace of his club, Chippa United.
Since then, Mpengesi has engaged in various business activities, fostering football culture and pride in neglected areas.
Earlier this year, Transet ended its 30-year partnership with the SAFA School of Excellence.
The school was established with a goal of providing quality education and football training for gifted youths from underprivileged backgrounds. However, financial pressures had long troubled the institution. When Transnet announced its withdrawal as the school’s trustee, it also took with it the R20-million it provided to the school annually.
Following Mpengesi’s departure, the Philippi Stadium fell into disrepair, but he has since established operations at the Buffalo City Stadium, in East London. Restored from deterioration and vandalism, it now hosts most of Chippa United’s home games, with a few still taking place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, in Gqeberha.
Chippa Mpengesi’s committment to football is clear, although fans of Chippa United often worry about frequent changes to the coaching staff at the club. This season has been particularly turbulent, with the club appointing several coaches, including Sinethembea Badela, Musa Nyatam, Luc Eymael, and Vusumzi “Kanu” Vilakazi.
Many young talented footballers in the Eastern Cape have benefitted from Mpengesi’s influence. A versatile forward from Selborne College, Blake Synman is the latest to receive a professional contract from Chippa United.
Snyman helped lead the Selborne College 1st XI to the title in the East London High Schools Football League in September. Other young players at the club include the Urban Academy alumni, Musa Festile, Qhamani Gubevu, Oyisa Ngeni, and Avuzwa Mbembe, who are all part of the Chippa United DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) Team.
Given Mpengesi’s stellar record, one hopes to see a revival of the fortunes of the School of Excellence. They could, once again, become one of the more interesting and entertaining teams to watch on SuperSport Schools Channel 216 on DStv during the broadcast of the GDL’s weekend football matches.
In a recent press release, Chipcor Developers stated: “The appointment at the School of Excellence now extends this restoration mandate onto a national platform.
“The school’s revival plan encompasses the enhancement of its training facilities, academic resources, living accommodations, maintenance systems, security infrastructure, and operational model.”
The objective of Chipcor Developers is to re-establish the institution as a national centre of excellence by attracting young players, both boys and girls, from across the country, and to provide them with elite football training, robust academic foundations, life skills, and personal development support.
The School of Excellence serves grades eight to 12.
Chipcor Developers and the Chippa Mpengesi Foundation intend to partner with key national and regional stakeholders, including the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the Departments of Sport, Arts and Culture, Basic and Higher Education, the Ekurhuleni Municipality, SAFA, the Premier Soccer League, and corporate sponsors through Corporate Social Investments (CSI) initiatives.
In their press release, Chipcor Developers said their goal is to also equip young people with practical, employable skills that prepare them for opportunities beyond the realm of sports.
“The institution will also broaden its scope to include more sporting codes, such as rugby, athletics, cricket, netball, and boxing, thereby evolving into a genuine multi-sport development centre that fosters a variety of South African talent,” the press release stated.
“We thank God for this opportunity, and for trusting us with a school that has shaped giants of South African football,” Mpengesi said.
“This is more than a project. It is a calling to serve the youth and uplift communities. We will do everything in our power to restore, protect, and elevate this great institution for the next generation,” he concluded.
Mpengesi has also founded a secondary school with its own academy in the Eastern Cape, known as the Chippa College, which further expands his influence on youth education and athlete development.
