Entrepreneur and Chippa United FC owner Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has announced the upcoming launch of the Chippa College and Sports Academy, set to open in early 2026 at the Buffalo City Stadium.
The institution aims to blend academic learning with sports training — with a clear priority on athletic development.
According to Mpengesi, this will mark a major milestone for youth development in the Eastern Cape.
Structured for grades 8 to 10, plans are in place to enrol 200 pupils in its initial year.
While academic subjects will be taught, the academy will focus on sports training, catering to budding athletes who aspire to professional careers.
The curriculum will integrate rigorous sporting schedules that dovetail with classroom learning, designed to produce well-rounded young athletes.
Mpengesi has started circulating an advert calling for enrolment.
“There are going to be different sports codes, such as rugby, netball, swimming, cricket, boxing and athletics,” he said.
“As Chippa United, we are going to bring our reserve team, where the pupils from the school will be playing for that team.
“We are engaging with different government stakeholders as we want to host big tournaments in the province for different sports codes.
“We will be using the East London bowling club as part of our facilities too.”
Mpengesi said one of the reasons for opening the school was to accommodate pupils who excelled in sport more than academics, but they would also be encouraged to improve in their academics.
“Our goal is to welcome everyone, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“When enrolling pupils, we are considering both their performance in academics and how good they are in sport,” he said.
The project manager and acting principal, Dr Solomon Onwona, said pupils would pay fees of R2,200 a month.
“We are enrolling 200 pupils and will have 20 teachers, including a sports scientist and coaches,” Onwona said.
“The finalisation of hiring will hopefully be concluded by the end of this year, before the opening day.
“The classes are already furnished, and we have followed safety protocols for the sake of the pupils.”
The subjects offered are English home language, mathematics, technology, natural sciences, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, creative arts, economics, social sciences, business studies, travel & tourism, maths literacy, life orientation, physical science and life sciences.
Mpengesi said: “The conceptualisation of having a school was second nature to us, because we have the facilities and resources, and we want to make the facilities accessible to the East London community —instead of schools travelling far for athletics, they can use our facilities.”
Onwona said Mpengesi had been talking to government stakeholders, individuals and businesses to offer scholarships to pupils who would not be able to afford the school fees.
“Our main aim is to open doors for school pupils coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, but they must excel in their academics or sports.
“We are hoping to relieve the pressure the department is getting from the high number of applications they get.”
The school already has school uniforms and tracksuits ready for the children.
The Buffalo City Stadium, Mpengesi’s current home ground for Chippa United, has undergone significant upgrades under his direction.
After acquiring a 20‑year lease and a R10m investment, the venue was renovated to meet Premier Soccer League standards and is undergoing further work to achieve CAF accreditation.
The stadium already hosts Chippa United’s home games and serves as a training base for the club’s reserve and development squads.
By basing the academy in East London, Mpengesi ensures that pupils will benefit from state‑of‑the‑art facilities, including professional‑grade pitches and sports infrastructure, positioning them to transition seamlessly into the club’s youth system.
Onwona holds a PhD in biblical studies, master of theology, two degrees in education and theology, five diplomas in managerial economics, international convention and maritime law, legal studies, ministry and biblical studies, and self-development certificates.
In 2017, he was named by the department of education as the best teacher in the BCM district in excellence in secondary school teaching.
He formerly taught at the East London Science College, Lumko High School, Sol Plaatjie Secondary School in North West and Mbuqe Junior Secondary School in Mthatha, and is a former principal of Academy High School.
Provincial sport, recreation, arts and culture spokesperson Andile Nduna confirmed department officials had met Mpengesi and his team and received a presentation on the planned sports academy.
“As a department, we appreciate the concept and we are of the view that it will contribute greatly to the development of sport in the province,” Nduna said.
“There is no formal agreement with the department and Mpengesi as he embarks on opening both the high school and a sports academy”.
The department, if asked, would assist with identifying and unearthing sporting talent, Nduna said.
The five classrooms, based on the ground floor of the facility were already completed in January.
Though Mpengesi revealed in January 2023 that talks with Curro about opening up a campus in East London were at an advanced stage, he said last week that the plan had not succeeded.
Despite phonecalls made throughout Friday to the department of education, Dispatch was unable to get their comment, however Mpengesi confirmed the school is registered with the department as an independent private high school with an Education Management Information System (Emis) nr of 200201121.
Daily Dispatch
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