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"Must Be Transnet": Driver With Grade 12 Takes Home over R20k a Month, Payslip Stuns SA

Published 10 Oct 2026 at 4:04 PM

by Rutendo Masasi

3 min read

A South African driver shared a payslip showing gross earnings of R46,576 with only a Grade 12 and Code 10 licence
The payslip revealed a basic salary of R25,185, boosted significantly by overtime, Sunday pay and a housing allowance
Online viewers debated whether formal academic qualifications are still the surest path to a good income in South Africa

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A South African bus driver set social media alight after sending his payslip for review. The details left many questioning the true value of a university degree.

Boni Xaba breaksdown salary of bus driver — Boni Xaba breaks down the salary of a bus driver in South Africa. Image: Boni Xaba
Source: Facebook

TikTok creator Boni Xaba, who runs the account Life Reset With Boni, posted the payslip on 10 October as part of the growing salary transparency conversation online. The clip showed earnings belonging to a driver who holds a Grade 12 certificate and a Code 10 licence, qualifications accessible to most South Africans.

The numbers Boni read were hard to ignore. The driver's gross earnings for the month came to R46,576.62, with deductions of R14,700.71 leaving a net pay of R31,875.91. The basic salary sat at R25,185.66, but it was the additional earnings that pushed the figure higher. Overtime at 1.5 times the rate added R3,375.54 and R1,954.26 respectively, while Sunday time at double pay contributed R4,263.84. An ad hoc Sunday allowance of R2,842.56 and a housing allowance of R2,007 rounded out the package. Several viewers in the comments identified the employer as a state-owned entity, with many pointing to Transnet as the likely workplace. Watch the video below:

Mzansi stunned by bus driver's payslip

The post landed at a sensitive moment for many South Africans grappling with graduate unemployment and rising living costs. The gap between qualifications and actual earnings has long been a painful topic, and this payslip put it front and centre. South Africans flooded the comments with their thoughts:

@Snethemba said:

"Sometimes it really is luck. Those with degrees earn R3500, those with matric, R46K"

@Phiwa Zulu wrote:

"Works for the state, SOE."

@user8028843386035 commented:

"Transnet kombi driver"

@Mr Gesh added:

"Transnet Service Driver"

@Shilaba asked:

"What do you mean inside terminal?"

Other Briefly News stories about South African payslips

A viral social media thread centred around online payslip breakdowns sparked widespread fascination after a high-earning South African professional shared their monthly earnings statement.
Content creator Boni Xaba shared a detailed breakdown of a South African courier driver's payslip, showing a basic salary of R10,822, which was boosted to a higher gross pay through overtime.
A 39-year-old millwright intern (born in 1987) made headlines on TikTok after financial commentator Boni Xaba broke down his monthly earnings statement.