Chipcor if Chippa owner steps up to save Transnet School of Excellence. Image credit: Chippa FC via X
(The Post News)– Transnet School of Excellence in Duduza, Ekurhuleni. Has been handed a new lifeline after Siviwe Mpengesi’s Chipcor Developers officially took over operations. The takeover comes after Transnet withdrew its funding earlier this year. It cited “business misalignment” and effectively placing South Africa’s most legendary youth academy on the brink of closure.
For decades, the School of Excellence been a beacon of structured youth development. Producing some of the finest footballers the country has exported. Its model combines formal education with elite football training for learners from Grade 8 to 12. It became the gold standard for academies across the continent.
But when Transnet pulled out, the institution faced financial paralysis. Staff were uncertain of their future and parents were left searching for solutions. The nation watched helplessly as an academy that produced stars like Steven Pienaar, Kamohelo Mokotjo, and Daylon Claasen. With recent Orlando Pirates sensation Relebohile Mofokeng teetered on the edge.
The shutdown would have dealt a severe blow to a football ecosystem already struggling with talent production and development consistency.
Chipcor confirmed the acquisition, positioning the move as both a rescue mission and a long-term investment in South African sport. The company has committed not only to keeping the academy alive. It will transform it into a modern, multi-sport high-performance centre.
The ambitious plan includes, upgrading all academic and residential facilities, and revamping training grounds and technical infrastructure. Expanding beyond football to introduce multi-sport programmes. Building a campus hotel as a revenue engine for sustainability, also opening doors to private-sector partnerships to future-proof the academy.
Mpengesi, who also owns Chippa United described the project as an opportunity to secure the next generation of sporting excellence. While building an institution that can sustain itself without dependency.
The community have welcomed the intervention, noting that South Africa’s development structures have weakened over the past decade. The School of Excellence, the national benchmark had become one of the last remaining academies blending academics with elite sport.
Chipcor’s takeover is expected to stabilise the school immediately. But, the longer-term plan could redefine how youth development is funded and managed in the country. The introduction of revenue-generating infrastructure, including a hotel for camps and tournaments. Reflects a continental trend where academies operate as hybrid business and development entities.
The learners, coaches, and alumni who feared the worst, the deal marks the beginning of a new era. The School of Excellence survives, for the first time in its history, stands poised to thrive on its own terms.
With Chipcor Developers at the helm. The institution that has produced some of South Africa’s brightest stars now sets its sights on an even bigger goal. Becoming Africa’s premier multi-sport development hub.
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