Siviwe Mpengesi’s journey: From rags to riches with Chippa United
Siviwe Mpengesi’s remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Nqamakwe to owning Chippa United and diversifying into various industries showcases his entrepreneurial spirit and success story. Picture: Henk Kruger/Independent Media
Image: Henk Kruger/Independent Media
The life story of Siviwe Mpengesi is not one of your typical club owner, and the man nicknamed ‘Chippa’ is certainly a rags-to-riches tale.
Before Mpengesi bought Mbekweni Cosmos for R400,000 in 2010 and renamed it Chippa United, his foundations were much humbler.
Those foundations were in fact a rondavel in Nqamakwe, in the Eastern Cape, where he lived with his mother and siblings.
Born in 1976, Mpengesi moved to Cape Town around 1994 to work his first job as a security guard. It’s reported that back then he was earning between R500 and R900 per month.
From Meagre Earnings to Major Success: The Rise of Chippa Security Services
Though his earnings were meagre, his ambitions were anything but. It was with these ambitions that drove him to pitch an unusual idea to Pick n Pay. He offered to recover stolen trolleys for the grocer, and this proved to be a stroke of genius as his operation quickly exploded as he was soon earning R40,000 per month with Chippa Security Services he founded in 2002.
Seven years later, his security company won the major tender for the 2009 Confederations Cup and then the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
These contracts allowed Mpengesi to diversify his investment with his reach expanding to property, transport, education, and telecoms.
Chippa United’s Journey: From Vodacom League to Premiership Success
Of course, around the same time was when Chippa United was founded and the ‘Midas Mpengesi touch’ soon translated onto the football pitch. Starting out in the Vodacom League, Chippa won promotion to the Premiership by June 2012.
Their stay was short-lived though, as they were relegated in the 2012/2013 season, and were notorious in their hiring and firing of coaches that term, as five mentors were used that term.
Since then, it’s been much smoother sailing as they have maintained their place in the top tier of South African football, with a best finish of sixth in the 2015/2016 season.
Chippa is still known for its frequent hiring and firing of coaches, but somehow has been able to keep its top flight status in the Betway Premiership.
While the football club is not even close to Mpengesi’s biggest source of income these days, as he is worth a few hundred million rand these days, it’s still remarkable just how successful the club has been in South African football in its short time of existence.