“This Is Most Civil Servants”: Review of Immigration Officer’s Payslip With 20 Years of Experience
- A veteran immigration officer's salary sparked a debate after their take-home amount was revealed for 20 years of service
- The breakdown was shared on TikTok by a popular career reviewer who described the level 7 remuneration package as a crime scene
- Social media users flooded the comments section with mixed reviews, with many expressing heartbreak over the low R700 danger allowance
Source: Facebook
A popular career and salary reviewer left Mzansi in disbelief after revealing the take-home pay for a veteran immigration officer.
The video was shared on TikTok by user @liferesetwithboni on 5 April 2026, where it gained massive views and sparked an intense online debate. Viewers scrutinised the remuneration of frontline officials at the Border Management Authority (BMA).
In the clip, the creator broke down the earnings of an officer who has dedicated 20 years of service to the state. Despite two decades on the job, the officer is currently on salary level 7. The breakdown of the monthly earnings included a gross salary of R28,000, a housing allowance of R2,000 and a danger allowance of R700.
Veteran BMA officer’s salary
After all the deductions, the creator noted that the veteran officer goes home with R17,000. She also explained that the entity, formerly under Home Affairs, now operates as the separate Border Management Authority. Pointing to the R700 danger allowance, TikTok user @liferesetwithnoni questioned the fairness of the compensation for people tasked with securing the country’s borders. The creator also remarked that the 20 years of service for that amount made the salary look like a crime scene.
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Watch the TikTok video below:
SA debates the R28K salary
The clip went viral, gaining hundreds of comments from social media users who responded with mixed reviews. Many viewers found the figures heartbreaking and questioned how the people supposed to guard the borders against illegal immigration were earning so little. Some felt the R17,000 net salary was reasonable, noting that it was at level 7 of the government salary scale. One user noted that the officials at the BMA were transferred from the Home Affairs department three years ago. They added that those who were moved had only been in the department for three years.
Source: Facebook
User @Business Shakers shared:
"R17K after so many years of experience? 😔 This is heartbreaking 💔."
User @Nkonyana Yenkosi said:
"The Border Management Authority is +/- 3 years old. Home affairs officers earn R11k on average. This is a good salary."
User @Maggie explained:
"The Department of Home Affairs and Border Management Authority are not the same. It never used to be called the BMA IN it's own entity, so he's not 20 years of service there. Whoever moved there from Department of Home Affairs to the Border Management Authority only has 3 years of service."
User @Neriah2911 shared:
"This is most civil servants."
User @kmos added:
"My worry is that there's an assumption here that everyone at BMA earns the same. What exactly does this person do? Because you give a generalised description! There are many roles there, and I'm sure other positions earn more."
User @BroLitha commented:
"Guys, this is government, post levels are used for each position. You don't just get promoted because of service; posts are advertised, internally and externally, and those who believe they qualify apply. My point is, 20 years of service means nothing in government if you don't upgrade yourself and be relevant, then apply for higher positions."
3 Briefly News articles about salaries
- A 33-year-old father of three had social media users abuzz after flexing his R100K total income, joining a viral TikTok salary trend, where locals flex their earnings.
- A 28-year-old mother of one joined a viral online challenge, revealing she was single and earning R4800, and Mzansi advised her to remain single and focus on getting a better-paying job.
- A Forever Living business owner divided social media after sharing her R500K monthly salary, which shocked many.
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Source: Briefly News
