“Let It Sink In”: Salary of Assistant Store Manager With 5 Years’ Experience Has SA Talking

• Boni Xaba shared a payslip showing what an assistant store manager with five years of experience takes home each month
• The gross salary sits right at South Africa's average, but after deductions, the net pay tells a very different story about what retail workers earn
• South Africans compared their salaries, with some earning more in very different roles

A payslip video that content creator Boni Xaba posted on 15 June 2026 has South Africans questioning what retail work is really worth. Boni, who regularly shares salary breakdowns and workplace information on social media, pulled up the payslip of an assistant store manager with five years of experience and broke it down. She said:

"The average salary in South Africa is R10,000 and they are not lying to you. This is a payslip of an assistant store manager with five years of work experience. Let it sink in. Deductions at R323 and a net pay of R8,000."

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The gross salary of R10,000 lines up with the national average, but what caught people's attention was what was left after deductions.

What does an assistant store manager do?

An assistant store manager is responsible for supporting the store manager, driving sales targets, managing stock, overseeing the cash office, handling daily banking and making sure the store runs smoothly every day.

They also coach staff, manage performance, handle compliance with health and safety regulations, and are often expected to work shifts, weekends, and public holidays.

To qualify for the role, one needs a Matric certificate and between one and three years of supervisory experience in retail or fast-moving consumer goods. A tertiary qualification in business or retail management gives applicants an edge, and strong computer literacy is expected across most of these positions.

Assistant store manager salary vs the reality

The R10,000 gross figure may show the national average. However, many South Africans in the comments pointed out that people in very different roles are earning the same or more.

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Watch the Facebook clip below:

SA unimpressed by the store manager salary

Boni's followers had plenty to say about the salary on her Facebook page:

@Lungiswa Vaphi said:

"Yhooo I am a cleaner and I'm earning more than them."

@Sipho Lethabo Mphahlele wrote:

"I'm a security guard at Axon, and my take-home is R9,000 without holidays or overtime."

@Michelle VD Merwe said:

"I know a manager in retail that gets around R30,000 a month plus other perks. Let's just say I was shocked."

@Gregory Tshele wrote:

"Crime scene. Crime seen. Crime-Sin."

@Ntuse The-Blender Gums said:

"I feel attacked with my R5,000 a month salary."

@PSL Fixture & Results and Betting tips questioned:

"What about line supervisor in pharmaceutical industry?"

More South African salaries

• Briefly News recently reported on a Western Cape man who mapped out IT support salaries from entry level to specialist.
• Ex-Kaizer Chiefs captain Willard Katsande also opened up about what players were paid during his first coaching role.
• Zimbabwe has also announced new minimum wages for domestic workers that take immediate effect.

Source: Briefly News