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accolades for pirates star

SUPERMAN: Orlando Pirates defender Lucas Thwala, left, fights for the ball with Platium Stars 's Bradley Grobler during thier Premiership match at Olympia Park in Rustenburg recently. Thwala scooped three top club awards for the recently completed season. 01/03/2009. Pic. Lefty Shivambu. © Gallo Images.
SUPERMAN: Orlando Pirates defender Lucas Thwala, left, fights for the ball with Platium Stars 's Bradley Grobler during thier Premiership match at Olympia Park in Rustenburg recently. Thwala scooped three top club awards for the recently completed season. 01/03/2009. Pic. Lefty Shivambu. © Gallo Images.

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

As predicted in Sowetan on Tuesday, star defender Lucas Thwala won major awards at the glittering Orlando Pirates end-of- season function in Benoni, Ekurhuleni, last night.

Thwala, who is also in the Bafana Bafana squad for the Confederations Cup, pocketed a cool R170000 for scooping three major awards.

He deservedly grabbed the player of the season (R90000), players' player of the season (R40000) and Golden Boot awards (R40000).

Also known as "Look Around" to close associates, Thwala rattled the net nine times in the Absa Premiership to win the Golden Boot.

Thwala is one of the most successful players to come through the development ranks of Pirates, who finished second on the Absa Premiership log this past season, in the process qualifying for the 2010 African Champions League.

"It's a great honour and I want to thank everybody who contributed to the success of the club this season, we were just unlucky not to win the league," said Thwala.

"But I must say congratulations to SuperSport United for defending their league title, but we have laid a solid foundation for next season."

Back to the awards, Teko "General Rau Rau" Modise was presented with R30000 for winning the club's online player of the season award.

"We have over 15000 people visiting our website daily, which is incredible and we thank them for their continued support," said Irvin Khoza, Bucs chairman.

Dikgang "Terminator" Mabalane was rewarded with R20000 for winning the goal of the season for the awesome goal in their 1-all draw against Free State Stars.

Siphelele Mthembu left with the most improved player of the season award after impressing on his debut season in the professional ranks.

Mthembu received R30000, while Rooi Mahamutsa got the same amount for winning the prospect of the season award.

For the Chairman's Award, Benson Mhlongo got R40000, while Musa Sokhulu was given R20000 for winning the supporters award.

"Musa is from Durban but he has been to all the games we played throughout the season," explained Khoza afterwards.

Khoza also presented the club's kit department with a special recognition award, which goes with a R20000 cash prize.

"The kit department were simply the best, Orlando Pirates were smartly dressed this season and we appreciate it as management," he said.

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