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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana and Everton FC midfielder Steven Pienaar has been named the 2009 Bafana Bafana Player of the Year.
The announcement was made at a ceremony on Thursday night at the Sandton Convention Centre.
To scoop his award, Pienaar was voted ahead of two other players in the senior men’s national team - Siboniso Gaxa of Mamelodi Sundowns and Macbeth Sibaya who plays for Rubin Kazan in Russia.
The winner in this category was determined by football supporters via sms through the SABC television and radio stations.
In the juniors section, Thulani Serero who plays for Ajax Cape Town and the national Under-20 side, Amajita, was named the Under-20 Player of the Year. He was competing with Philani Khwela of Feyenoord and Daylon Claasen of Ajax Amsterdam in Holland for the award.
Banyana Banyana’s Nompulelo Nyandeni is the senior women’s national team Player of the Year. The midfielder was vying for top honours against reigning women’s African Player of the Year, Noko Matlou as well as Kylie-Ann Louw.
Coach of the Year Award went to Gavin Hunt - mentor of the ABSA Premiership Champions Supersport United. In this category, Hunt was pitted against coaching giants Styles Phumo, Jomo Sono and Serame Letsoaka.
President of SAFA Kirsten Nematandani said the inception of the SAFA Awards last year have gone a long way in encouraging players to play with passion and pride. "Our coaches worked harder at their game plans, match officials to officiated at the highest level, and our administrators governed the game effectively and efficiently.”
