“There’s Evading Tax Here”: SA Stunned Boni Xaba Reviews Underground Miner’s R95K Payslip

• Boni Xaba shared a viral Instagram video breaking down an underground miner’s monthly salary slip, leaving South Africans stunned
• The miner’s gross earnings totalled R95,060, made up of a R38,316 basic salary plus several allowances and a mysterious R39,000 ‘alignment’ payment
• Viewers could not agree on whether the pay was worth the dangerous conditions underground miners face daily

A salary slip is not usually the kind of content that stops people mid-scroll, but this one did. Boni Xaba, a South African content creator known for breaking down financial topics, posted an Instagram reel that left Mzansi talking after she unpacked the monthly earnings of an underground miner.

The slip showed gross earnings of R95,060.21, significantly more than the R90,000 her caption initially suggested. The basic salary sat at R38,316, with the rest built up through travel overtime, housing and medical allowances, a production bonus of R3,724, and a line item called “alignment” worth R39,080.

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Xaba paused at the alignment entry, saying she assumed it was some kind of bonus, though she was not certain what it covered.

What the miner actually takes home

The gross figure caught people’s attention, but the deductions told a different story. PAYE came to R27,456, and total deductions reached R33,909, leaving the miner with a net pay of R61,150. Xaba read through the numbers clearly, letting the figures speak for themselves.

Watch the Instagram video below:

Mzansi reacts to the miner’s pay

The comments section became a mix of admiration, suspicion and dark humour. Some viewers questioned the structure of the pay slip, while others reflected on what the job actually demands.

@abongs_m said:

“There’s a bit of evading tax here, with all those fancy lines. 😅”

@__p.jay_m wrote:

“It’s not worth it. Tunnels collapse, miners die. I am good.🤙”

@canedb134 asked:

“Wait, miners make R38k and I get up at 3 to do dishes? Haibo.”

More salary breakdowns

• Boni Xaba posted on Facebook on 18 July 2026, reacting to a TikTok user’s salary claim.
• Popular salary content creator Boni Xaba shared the payslip of a clinical psychology intern in South Africa.
• Popular educational content creator Boni Xaba showed her online followers what an electrical engineer in Zimbabwe took home at the end of every month.

Source: Briefly News