“Works for the Government”: Woman Shows Graphic Designer’s Payslip, High Salary Surprises SA

• South African content creator Boni Xaba took to her TikTok account to share what a graphic designer earned
• The woman informed app users that the anonymous person completed internships and worked for the government
• Many online community members were stunned to see the five-figure salary and shared their thoughts under the post

For many people, jobs in the creative industry are normally seen as less lucrative compared to careers in more technical or financial fields. However, a graphic designer defied those expectations and surprised the internet after a woman revealed their payslip.

A graphic designer's earnings

Local salary-reviewing content creator Boni Xaba from the TikTok account Lifereset with Boni noted that the person had completed two internships before acquiring the permanent position.

After noting that "marketing agencies would never pay you this much," the woman added:

"This person works for the government."

Boni didn't specify the branch the person worked for.

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According to the payslip shown in the clip, the graphic designer's total earnings were R79 814.59, which included a R37 083.96 salary, a R2 206.85 living allowance, and a R40 523.78 13th cheque.

With the total deductions coming to R22 454.49, the anonymous professional's net pay was R57 360.10.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Average income of graphic designers in SA

In South Africa, the average annual salary for a graphic designer is around R184,138. Entry-level designers with less than a year of experience typically earn around R106,579. Those with 1-4 years of experience see an average salary of R157,689.

Mid-career professionals with 5-9 years of experience can expect about R206,809, while experienced designers with 10-19 years earn approximately R232,899. Seasoned designers with over 20 years of experience average R248,000.

However, salaries vary by location. In Cape Town, the average is R191,766; in Durban, it's R148,243; and in Sandton, it's R174,000. Specialisations also influence earnings. For example, motion graphic designers average R214,294, and senior graphic designers earn about R306,104. Freelance graphic designers in South Africa have an average hourly rate of R245.29.

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Salary surprises Mzansi online users

A handful of social media users could not believe how much the graphic designer made in a month and shared their surprise in the post's comment section.

One app user even deemed the salary as "not normal" and another referred to it as "good money" after seeing the breakdown of the payslip on their For You Pages.

@pamela.woest told app users:

"I have been designing for 20 years and don't earn that much."

@blvck_carrot jokingly added in the comments:

"The person probably uses Canva."

@journalcat1 wrote to the public with a laugh:

"I’m so grateful that I’ve never used my graphic designer diploma."

@vanes_bostrom155, who couldn't believe what they had seen, stated:

"What a joke for the rest of us with 25+ years of experience, working an eight-hour job, and having to freelance for extra money to buy bread and milk."

@sizzling245 said in the comment section:

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"That's a good salary. Some of us earn that much with 10+ years of experience."

@jardine193 laughed and shared their thoughts with the online community:

"Guys, this person is probably politically connected. You don’t get a government job in this country without being connected."

5 Other stories about people's payslips

• In another article, Briefly News reported about a South African boilermaker who earned over R34 000 per week in a foreign country.
• An engineer's payslip left many people outraged when they saw the R21 000 tax deduction and how much the person earned.
• Boni shocked South African online users when she showed the payslip of a training facilitator, who only had their matric certificate, earning R60 000 per month.
• The content creator also shared the payslip of a South African working in Saudi Arabia who earned over half a million rand with no tax deductions.
• The reveal of a retail cashier’s earnings had Mzansi talking, and most weren’t happy with the numbers.

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Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News