"Cries in Medicine": Rock Engineer Trainee's Payslip Leaves South Africans Speechless

• TikToker Boni Xaba shared a rock engineer trainee's payslip on TikTok, and the figures stopped South Africans in their tracks
• The trainee, a second-year graduate development programme student, earned total gross pay of over R204,000 in one month
• South Africans flooded the comments regretting their career choices after seeing what a trainee in underground coal mining earns

A rock engineering trainee's payslip went viral on TikTok after creator Boni Xaba shared it on 13 October. The clip spread fast. The reason was simple: the numbers were hard to believe.

Xaba walked viewers through two payslips side by side. The first, which included a performance bonus, showed a basic salary of R59,999, a travel allowance of R4,200, a standby allowance of R2,800, and a performance bonus. Total earnings came to R204,757. After deductions of R77,562, the trainee walked away with a net pay of R127,195.

The second payslip, without the bonus, showed gross earnings of R67,426 and a net pay of R44,918. According to Xaba, the person behind the payslip is a second-year student on a graduate development programme at an underground coal mining company. They hold a B Tech degree from the University of the Free State (referred to in the video as "the Orange University"). The video by @liferesetwithboni drew a wave of reactions from people who said they had never even considered rock engineering as a career path, and plenty of regret from those who had chosen differently. Becoming a certified Rock Engineer in South Africa requires a degree such as BSc, BEng, or BEngTech (Honours) in Mining Engineering, and certification from the Minerals Council of South Africa (previously Minerals Council). Watch the payslip breakdown that has South Africans questioning their career choices below:

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South Africans in the comments had a lot to say:

@Kea M wrote:

"Where was Rock Engineering when I was picking careers 😭"

@kabza said:

"This is definitely Exxaro or Sasol 😅😅"

@homosexualzulu joked:

"No wonder they buy German cars straight after uni 😭😭😭"

@Ana said:

"Cries in LLB"

@therealmonyesemane wrote:

"Cries in medicine 😭. What do I study to become one???"

@TechnicallyMakho added:

"Cries in computer science"

@Jac Hull said:

"The tax yohhh 😭"

Other Briefly News stories about South African teachers abroad

• Content creator Boni Xaba reviewed a payslip from a South African bus and service driver possessing a Grade 12 (Matric) certificate and Code 10 driver's licence.
• TikTok creator Boni Xaba unpacked a payslip from a South African primary school teacher in Shanghai holding a BA and PGCE, revealing a gross pay of over R123,000 (50,250 yuan) and a take-home pay near R119,000 after tax.
• Content creator Boni Xaba shared a detailed breakdown of a South African teacher's payslip from Dubai, showing a monthly salary equivalent to R59,000.

Source: Briefly News