‘It's Not Fair’: IEC Workers Share What They Received After Election Duties
- A South African IEC officer went viral after sharing her disbelief at receiving only R400 after working during the elections
- Several other IEC workers joined the conversation, revealing their own unexpectedly low payments after SARS deductions
- Many workers questioned whether the tax deductions on short-term electoral work were fair, sparking a heated online debate
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An IEC electoral officer left South Africans both laughing and sympathising. She posted a TikTok video on 14 November that captured the painful reality of payday disappointment.
Source: Getty Images
@aseco_amagcina filmed herself in a selfie-style clip at home, with an on-screen caption reading "POV: You've been waiting for payday just to get R400" followed by crying emojis. The tone was equal parts humour and genuine frustration, and it struck a nerve across South Africa.
An IEC Electoral Commission Employment Tax Estimates infographic showed gross payments and an 18% tax estimate across various electoral positions. See a video of the TikTokker who shared how much she received below:
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Source: TikTok
IEC workers share payment frustrations
The post quickly became a space for other electoral officers to share what landed in their accounts. The numbers many revealed were far below what they had expected. Watch a video by another IEC officer @rose.tuntulwana complaining:
South Africans flooded the comments with their own experiences:
@Nonozana said:
"Aybo babes kwenzakaleni [what happened]? Mina I got R1066?"
@Mhlongo,C.T shared:
"Awuwedwa [you're not alone]. Bengiwu DPO I got R1256 instead of R3800 😭"
@Juliet wrote:
"Yooo 😭... lapho [there] I forced myself with pregnancy 😭 ohh my baby 😫 special votes amount R1060 electoral officer R1320.. I got R967.11 😫😭"
@Ma Mogale❤️🇿🇦 noted:
"2024 I worked for 24 hours + and got R700 and something after SARS deducted"
@Itumeleng Mashishi questioned:
"Imagine deducting PAYE on someone who just worked for hours."
@papawawa raised a broader concern:
"But is it fair for people who are working like full time employment to work at IEC during elections while there's a lot of unemployed youth out there? Just asking."
Other Briefly News stories on South African salaries and payslip transparency
- TikTok creator @liferesetwithboni generated lively career discussion on 24 August 2025 after showcasing the payslip of a matriculant who completed an AutoCAD short course and landed a project developer role in the lighting and building renovation sector, earning a R40,000 basic salary plus R42,000 in commission for a net payout of R59,625.
- Johannesburg finance creator Julian Cruz (@julsfin.za) ignited fierce debate on TikTok on 29 September 2026 after breaking down South Africa's median monthly salaries by demographic group.
- Stilfontein underground hydropower driller Teboho Kholotsa stunned Facebook users on 27 May 2026 by sharing his monthly payslip, showing how a basic salary of just over R26,000 climbed once hydropower, accommodation, and holiday leave allowances were factored in.
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Source: Briefly News
