"It's Hard to Believe": Zimbabwean University Lecturer’s Salary Leaves Mzansi Stunned

• A payslip from a Zimbabwean university lecturer in the chemical engineering faculty went viral on Instagram on 23 September 2026
• The lecturer's basic salary of $320 (R5 843) was reduced to a take-home pay of just $257 (R4 694) after tax and deductions
• South Africans and Zimbabweans online were left stunned by the figures, with many drawing comparisons to local delivery driver earnings

A payslip from a Zimbabwean university lecturer in the chemical engineering faculty has left thousands of people online speechless after it was shared in a viral Instagram clip.

The video, posted on 23 September 2026, shows the presenter reacting to the document with visible disbelief. The lecturer's basic salary sits at $320 (R5 206,69), with an additional allowance of $24 (R390,50), bringing total earnings to $344 (R5 597,88), which converts to approximately R5 590 in South African rands. After a tax deduction of $74 (R1 204,19) and a AIDS levy, the lecturer's actual take-home pay drops to just $257 (R4 182,08).

Read also

Gareth Cliff calls out DIRCO over deleted post claiming SA has largest white population

Boni Xaba said in the clip:

"I would like to believe maybe this person works maybe four hours per week because it's hard to believe that a lecturer can earn R5 591."

Zimbabwe's brain drain on full display

The AIDS levy deduction on the payslip also caught attention. Boni said she had spotted the charge on other Zimbabwean payslips before but remained unsure of exactly what it covers.

One commenter pointed out that the full picture may be more complicated. @tawandatmuchena argued that a local currency portion of the salary was not included in the video, which he said amounts to an additional 460 USD (R7 485,76), and called for a fairer analysis.

View the Instagram video below:

Mzansi reacts to the Zimbabwean lecturer's salary

South Africans and Zimbabweans in the comments on the page had plenty to say:

@blv.tupeh wrote:

"😢😢"

@nhla_lala said:

"This is so sad 💔"

Read also

Sizwe Dhlomo facepalms as Burna Boy’s $6m Bugatti meets Nigeria’s rough roads

@naturalthio reacted:

"This is so sad! ..."

@_swvre commented:

"Mnangagwa should catch hands hey 😞"

@ikhwalo joked:

"Ndingawuyeka loo msebenzi and apply for the SRD grant [I would quit that job and apply for the SRD grant]"

@4bundas observed:

"The Sixty-60, Uber Eats and Takealot drivers make more than this in South Africa and we wonder why all Zimbabweans want to come here... 🤷🏾‍♂️"

@afromufasa_ added some perspective:

"With a fully paid house and fully paid car... No mortgage in Zim"

@omaihst_sa kept it brief:

"And that's why they are here"

Disclaimer: Currency conversions were made using exchange rates applicable at the time of publishing and may change over time.

More Briefly News stories on salaries

• A TikTok debate erupted over whether R125 per visit is fair pay for South African domestic workers, with employers and workers sharing different salary figures.
• A 39-year-old millwright intern’s first payslip shocked South Africans online, with Boni Xaba breaking down the figures and discussing age and apprenticeships.
• Official SAPS salary figures showing what police officers earn, from trainee stipends to senior packages, sparked mixed reactions over pay, tax and job risks.

Source: Briefly News