Chippa United boss pays historic East London Bowling Club R140,000 to move

2 Jul 2024

The East London Bowling Club will leave the premises it had occupied for decades after Chippa United football team boss Siviwe Mpengesi paid the club R140,000 to move. He wants to turn the club into a parking lot.

Chairperson of Chippa United Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi said on Tuesday that he had won a court case brought by the East London Bowling Club to stop him from demolishing their premises.

On Monday, he said the bowling club’s lease of R46 per year with the municipality was a “historic crime”.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Chippa United take on East London Bowling Club in legal showdown over ‘historically criminal lease’

Mpengesi did not file court papers to oppose an application for an interdict to stop his construction crews from demolishing the clubhouse, instead offering to pay the club R140,000.

The 118-year-old club is one of South Africa’s oldest bowling clubs.

The offer, it is understood, comprises a R100,000 payment to cover losses caused by the club’s inability to host a tournament and R40,000 in legal costs. The agreement that the club will vacate the premises by 31 July and that Mpengesi will pay R140,000 to the club was made an order of the Bhisho High Court by Judge Thandi Norman.

‘Return to glory days’

Last week, construction teams appointed by Mpengesi’s Stadium Management Company started demolishing the East London Bowling Club’s boundary wall and cutting down its trees. On Monday, security guards employed by his company barred club members from entering the premises.

On Tuesday, club management approached the Bhisho High Court for an interdict to stop the destruction of their clubhouse and premises.

The bowling club is next to the Buffalo City Stadium, which has been renovated by Mpengesi’s company. In a statement, Mpengesi said they were expanding and needed a parking lot. He said he had no intention of restoring the bowling club’s access to the property.

Bowling club treasurer Willie du Toit said in papers that they had a valid lease agreement that would end on 30 June 2025. According to the lease agreement, they rent the 1.3ha property for R46 a year. The club had been leasing the property since the 1950s.

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the lease was valid.

Mpengesi said the Buffalo City Stadium precinct was dilapidated and badly vandalised. His Chippa Training Academy had taken over the stadium.

“Chippa Training Academy then immediately ensued with renovations which to date have cost no less than R10-million. The result of this work is that we have seen the stadium going back to its glory days, hosting the President of the country, the premier of our province and the mighty Kaizer Chiefs recently, along with four other PSL games.”

Mpengesi said it appeared that the municipality had leased the same property to him and the bowling club.

“Our legal team has been instructed to open a case on our behalf with the Hawks to investigate and arrest the perpetrators and should it be found that there are any municipal workers who are involved, they … should be disciplined by BCMM and arrested should any criminality be found,” he said.

“We call on the municipality to investigate and audit all their properties, including these ones where people are paying R4 a month, which amounts to a historic crime. The illegal occupation of these properties is a legacy of apartheid which it appears some are bent on continuing should the matter not be dealt with,” he said. DM

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South Africa

‘Return to glory days’