Lamontville Golden Arrows right-back Siyabonga Dube has bucked the materialistic trend where soccer stars show off the money they've got by spending on fast cars and even faster women.

Instead, he bought his mother a house in Lamontville and uses public transport.

After all, his first name, Siyabonga, means "we thank you".

Dube, 22, was born in Lamontville, one of Durban's crime-ridden townships and insists that if it weren't for his 51-year-old mother's sacrifices, he would not have made it to top-flight football.

"I bought her a house just to thank her for sacrificing a lot to make sure I have a better future. With her guidance, I didn't get into things like drugs," said Dube.

His father passed away when he was young but his mother, Thulekile Dube, always provided for him and his siblings.

"She always gave me taxi fare to go to trials. She never failed me. This house is her reward for taking care of us under trying conditions."

The Arrows defender is the last-born of three kids. He has a brother, who is the first-born, and a sister, but Dube is the breadwinner and before purchasing the five-roomed crib, they all lived in his maternal grandmother's house.

Dube, who is the dad of two-year-old Lisakhanya, made 16 appearances for Abafana Bes'thende this season .

"I was affected by injuries this past season," noted the player nicknamed Ntsimbi.

But he made up for it by remembering his mom.