"Sometimes It's Luck": Port Terminal Driver With Grade 12 and Code 10 Earns R46K a Month, SA Stunned

• A TikTok video by Life Reset with Boni revealed the payslip of a port terminal driver holding only a Grade 12 certificate and Code 10 licence
• The driver's basic pay sat at R25,185, but overtime pushed the total earnings to R46,576 before deductions
• South Africans online were left stunned, with many pointing out that some degree holders earn far less

A port terminal driver's payslip left South Africans questioning everything they thought they knew about education and earning potential. TikToker @liferesetwithboni shared the salary breakdown on 10 October 2026, and it quickly sparked a heated conversation online.

The video showed the payslip of a driver working inside a port terminal. The minimum qualification for the role is a Grade 12 certificate paired with a Code 10 driver's licence. According to the figures on screen, the driver's basic monthly pay is R25,185, with a housing allowance of R2,000 added on top. A significant amount of overtime pushed the gross earnings to R46,576. After total deductions of R14,700, the driver takes home R31,875 a month.

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What the payslip revealed

The video did not name the employer directly, but several commenters were quick to point to Transnet, with one user writing "Transnet kombi driver" and another confirming "This is Transnet employee." Transnet operates South Africa's port terminals, making the link plausible, though the company was not officially confirmed in the clip.

What caught most people off guard was not just the total figure, but the contrast it painted between formal qualifications and actual earnings. The driver requires no university degree, only a matric certificate and a specific licence class.

View the TikTok video below:

Mzansi reacts to the salary figures

The video on Boni's page drew strong reactions from viewers across the country:

@Snethemba wrote:

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

@Ugudlane commented:

"This is Transnet employee 🤞🤞🤞"

@mthoko added:

"Noma ngabe kuthiwani eyaka Transnet lepayslip" [Whatever anyone says, this is a Transnet payslip]

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@IjokaZN observed:

"Mmmmh above government salary that requires NQF Level 6 🤔🤔"

The payslip reignited a debate many South Africans return to often: whether a university degree guarantees a better income, or whether skilled, licensed trades and operator roles can outpace graduate salaries when overtime and industry allowances are factored in.

More Briefly News stories on salaries

• A South African TikToker’s banking screenshots show a car salesman’s July income of R107,102.88, sparking debate as users question whether the figures are realistic.
• Capitec lent R1.5 billion to non-salaried South Africans in six months, using data models to expand credit access for entrepreneurs and independent earners.
• A TikTok breakdown of a South African teacher’s Shanghai payslip reveals a R119,000 take-home salary, while sparking debate over how typical China teaching pay is.

Source: Briefly News