‘We won’t let the Chippa fans down’
Mpengesi says: ‘I will pay to keep Chilli Boys in EL, after BCM pulls plug on deal’
ASSURING soccer fans that Chippa United would still play some of their games at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, club boss Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has insisted he would foot the bill to take their matches to Buffalo City Metro.
Mpengesi was responding to BCM Mayor Xola Pakati’s statement to councillors on Wednesday that their relationship with the Chilli Boys was unsustainable.
But Chippa’s owner says he would ensure the fans that have supported the Port Elizabethbased PSL outfit, continue watching the team live in their backyards – even if he had to use his own money to do so.
Council resolved not to extend its partnership with Chippa for the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years where the metro would have paid the club R1.3-million per game – up from the current R1million per game.
A disappointed Mpengesi told the Daily Dispatch yesterday that the club had been a victim of political infighting.
“Chippa will not leave East London – whether it’s supported by the municipality or not. We are here for our vision which is to revive the good old days of football.
“So the more support they [fans] show us during this difficult time the better things will be for us,” he said.
“People are settling their own political scores at the expense of the people who love soccer, but one thing’s for sure, the Chilli Boys won’t leave East London because God knows my intentions are good and not malicious. Politicians only care about themselves,” he said.
The team will arrive in East London today ahead of their Telkom Knockout game against Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday at Sisa Dukashe.
“People should come in their numbers to support the team and also to show they want us to play there, because this battle I cannot fight on my own.
“This is a political fight and I’m not a politician and I’m not doing this for money. I’m doing it for football supporters,” Mpengesi said.
“The bottom line is that we are not going to abandon our fans here in East London just for money. We will only leave if we get chased out – and that’s only when we’ll pack our things and go,” he said.
“Not getting any financial support doesn’t mean anything because we’ll go as far as renting the stadium. It’s a pity that all these other surrounding areas like Butterworth, Queenstown [now Komani], Mthatha don’t have a stadium that meets the PSL requirements, because we would have moved some of the games to those areas,” Mpengesi said.
He said the relationship with BCM was mutually beneficial as the hospitality sector and small businesses had been benefiting by bringing their games to the metro. “The money that we were asking from them was far less than what we could have wanted because Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is paying us far too much.
“All the research for this partnership was done properly, everything was there, but then again politics vetoed everything,” he said. He said the province had been deprived of top-flight football for more than 14 years – and the municipality’s move did not mean anything to him.
Mpengesi said he had played his role in marketing Mdantsane and taking the club to other parts of the province.
“For me as chairman to have a club that people in your province call their own is on its own a huge thing and I can’t ask for more. So hence I’m not expecting to fight this battle on my own but with the help of soccer lovers at large,” Mpengesi said.