NEWLY-PROMOTED Absa Premiership outfit Polokwane City will remain in the elite league "for some time to come".

This was the promise made by club chairman Johnny Mogaladi at an awards ceremony to honour the side's best performers in the past season.

The event was held in Polokwane on Wednesday night.

Among those who attended the function were Limpopo MEC for sports, arts and culture Miriam Ramadwa, her education counterpart Dikeledi Magadzi, agriculture's Machuene Semenya, Polokwane municipality's executive mayor Freddy Greaver and Premier Soccer League chief operations officer Cambridge Mokonyane.

Mogaladi said the team would prove to critics that their promotion to the top-flight was no fluke.

"We will demonstrate on the field of play that we are ready to compete with the best. We must prove that Limpopo is a province of stars," said the City supremo to applause.

The team surprised all and sundry after suffering a setback in the early stages of their National First Division campaign when they lost four of their players in a car accident in Polokwane in November.

The appointment of former Free State Stars star player Duncan "King" Lechesa as trainer brought stability to the ambitious Limpopo side.

Malawian Essau Kanyenda walked away with R35000 and a brand new car for being voted the side's player of the season. He also pocketed R25000 for finishing as the club's top goalscorer.

Puleng Tlolane was voted the team's young player of the season and took home R15000, while Maxwell Molala also won the same amount for being the most improved player in the team.

The best goal of the season gong went to Siphesihle Nzimande, along with R15000, while the chairman's award went to the team's supporters from the University of Limpopo's Turfloop campus.

They will be rewarded with free trips and tickets to the team's home and away games this season.

-- frankm@sowetan.co.za