“It Hits Different”: Eastern Cape Woman in Tears After SARS Deducts R2,600 From Salary

• An Eastern Cape woman broke down after opening her payslip and seeing that SARS had deducted money
• She admitted she knew the deduction was coming, but the reality of seeing how much it affected her take-home pay left her emotional
• South Africans shared their own SARS deduction stories, with some owing far more

TikTok user @mphofakuthisi, a young woman from the Eastern Cape, posted a video on 25 March 2026 that struck a nerve with many South Africans. In the clip, she is seen in tears after checking her payslip. She got emotional after seeing that SARS had deducted R2,600 from her salary across two months. The person recording her asked whether she knew about the deduction, and she confirmed that she did. However, she went on to say that seeing the actual amount taken out hit her hard.

How SARS salary deductions work

When a person owes SARS money, the tax authority has the legal power to collect it directly from their employer through a notice called an ITA88. It is also known as a Third Party Appointment. This means SARS contacts the employer and instructs them to deduct a set amount from the employee's salary each month until the debt is settled.

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Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi relates to woman's SARS deduction

The comment section on TikToker @mphofaku's clip filled up quickly:

@Sjavaristo wrote:

"R5500 and I blocked my gf already cos' I can't afford her this month 😂"

@DK 🇿🇦 said:

"I made payment arrangements, I'm paying R430 for 6 months 😂"

@Christopher Aphane asked:

"Does anybody know why? Cause mine they take R2,700 from R11k since January to date, what's going on kanti 😳🤦‍♂️"

@_Ble$$ed 💕 added:

"But HR was supposed to tell her.. I had the same situation, HR called me in and told me for 6 months they'll deduct R500"

@Siyamthanda T questioned:

"I'm stressed, how do you owe SARS? Someone, please explain how this works, especially if your salary does not qualify for tax deduction"

@wendy shared:

"R9,800 because of a bonus, I so want my money... My normal tax is about R3,900 a month"

@khaboyiselebambo revealed:

"Mina, they called last year and said I owe R65,000, and I disputed. Now, when I check, it says SARS owes me R18,300. What should I do?"

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@Precious 😍😍 added:

"I went to SARS last year after I received an email at work that an amount would be deducted from my salary, and SARS wrote off that money, xx was deducted from my salary then SARS later refunded me"

More on SARS and salaries

• Briefly News recently reported on Yvonne Chaka Chaka's husband, who allegedly missed tax payments going back decades and found himself facing SARS in court.
• A corporate attorney's payslip went viral on TikTok after Boni shared it, and the net pay after years of earning close to minimum wage and tax deductions left Mzansi confused.
• South Africa's income tax brackets for 2026 have been updated, and the amount some earners are losing to tax may surprise you.

Source: Briefly News