What Chippa proposed to BCM

Nothing decided yet as metro ‘still in discussion with role players’

Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi’s proposal to take over the running of Buffalo City and Jan Smuts stadiums would entail BCM being responsible for maintaining and upgrading the facilities, installing and maintaining mast lights and maintaining entertainment areas.

In return, Chippa Training Academy would employ key personnel for administration, maintenance and marketing of the facilities.

It would also be responsible for the upkeep of the fields and would employ security services to guard the facilities.

These are just some of the aspects detailed in Chippa Training Academy’s proposal to the municipality.

A copy of a council report dated August 28, in which the proposal conditions are explained, came into the Dispatch’s possession this week.

Mpengesi hopes this entity, a sister company to Chippa United FC, will be granted permission to lease the stadiums as anchor tenant.

The takeover of Buffalo City stadium would affect a number of stakeholders, including Border Rugby, now under the administration of the SA Rugby Union (Saru).

Mpengesi’s bid has drawn sharp criticism from some quarters. Some members of the local rugby community feel that their sport would be sidelined, should the application be approved.

But the report also makes it clear that while BCM might agree to some conditions, others were too much of a stretch.

For example, the municipal services directorate does not have the capacity to maintain and upgrade infrastructure, install the high mast lights “compliant with HD satellite transmission for broadcasting” or provide irrigation equipment.

The directorate also makes it clear that the lease of the Jan Smuts stadium “should not infringe on the use of this facility by the athletics community, as this is the only public athletics facility catering for the eastern half of the Eastern Cape .

However, the report” states that the BCM council does approve the proposed lease amount of R3,000 a month.

Collective monthly rentals from tenants may not be less than R27,000 excluding VAT, escalating at 12.5% annually for the duration of the lease term, according to the report.

In motivating the proposal, Chippa Training Academy said Chippa United would play PSL matches at Buffalo City stadium and the stadium precinct would be used seven days a week as a training facility for Chippa United Youth. “Border Rugby and other rugby teams will be engaged for tenancy along with any other local teams interested in using the venue.”

The company also gives the assurance that provincial athletics will be hosted at Jan Smuts stadium.

Contacted by the Dispatch for comment, BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said: “We cannot stop the Dispatch from writing stories about unofficial documents, regardless of how true they are or how you obtain them. We will not give credibility by responding to such rumours.”

Ngwenya said: “The responses I gave last week on the process that this report will undergo still stand.”

He told the Dispatch on Friday that one of the reasons the report had been deferred by council in early September was because there needed to be an extensive consultation process with stakeholders. He said feedback would form part of the report to be tabled to council.

Mpengesi told the Dispatch on Wednesday he had no problem with the council’s conditions and he would put in R10m for redevelopment and maintenance of the stadiums’ infrastructure.

A newly appointed talent identification officer at Border Rugby, Thobile Mtya, said it was not clear yet what BCM would decide on the lease, as the municipality was still in discussion with role players. “Nothing is clear at this point. No-one is communicating anything. It seems people are divided on what will happen next.”

Saru spokesperson Andy Colquhoun had not responded to questions at the time of writing.

Mpengesi said he wanted to lease Buffalo City stadium because it was “a white elephant and home to drug dealers and vandalism ... We understand the municipality does not have money to maintain the stadium. We will take it upon ourselves to maintain it. It’s fine, we agree, we approve; we are going to take over,” he said.

Mpengesi said he would use the R10m to maintain and upgrade the sports precinct. “Chippa [football club] is no longer coming to East London, but will play at least seven games a season to bring revenue. When they use the stadium they will pay like everybody else.”

Asked to comment on those opposing the deal, Mpengesi said: “We have no problem with the rugby fraternity. I am not fighting with the rugby people. We want to keep that legacy.”

South African Football Association BCM secretary Makhaya Dlanga had not responded to queries at the time of writing.

We will take it upon ourselves to maintain it. It’s fine, we agree, we approve; we are going to take over