Chippa boss signs 20-year lease with BCM

Its official: Chippa United boss Chippa Mpengesi has signed a 20-year lease agreement with Buffalo City Metro for the Buffalo City and Jan Smuts stadiums.

Mpengesi revealed his plan to journalists Thursday afternoon.

The Chilli Boys, as Chippa United are affectionately known, will play seven games between BCM’s Sisa Dukashe stadium and the Buffalo City stadium this season.

Their first match in the city will be against AmaZulu FC on 20year on

December 20.

In the presence of municipal manager Andile Sihlahla, Mpengesi said: “This is an extension of our existing agreement.

“We have had this relationship with BCM for five years, so now we are entering a new contract that will see us playing seven games from five in BCM for the next few years.

“Today we are signing the agreement that was passed by council.”

A soccer academy in BCM is on the cards, he said.

“Having signed a 20-year lease for [Buffalo City] stadium, we are going to be very big now on development. One of the things we will do immediately is open a sport academy, and we are going to support local football.

“The people here deserve these games because we have only been giving them five games. We have two stadiums, which we must use. More games, more marketing, more benefits to the municipality.”

Despite football fans still being banned from attending live soccer games, Mpengesi was optimistic the move would have positive spinoffs for the local economy.

“Before Covid-19 we used to fill the stadiums. There were good business and employment opportunities. The municipality will also be marketed because of the games, which are watched by millions on TV. And of course more income to the club.”

He revealed that Peace Makers FC, the ABC Motsepe Nelson Mandela Bay-based side, will be relocating to East London, and will be called Buffalo City FC.

Asked if the municipality had resolved unhappiness within the sporting fraternity over Mpengesi’s move to BCM, Sihlahla said: “The municipality has consulted and continues to consult relevant bodies to ensure we are all on the same page on what is going to happen.

“Consultation is not a oneday process. So we will ensure that the views of other people are taken into account.

“We have been building this relationship with Chippa so that we can promote some of the objectives of the municipality, especially tourism, to ensure that BCM becomes a sport destination and becomes an area of activity and health.

“We are very excited to be signing this agreement, and as the years go by we will have other initiatives with Chippa.”