"Black Tax": South African Teacher Reveals Salary Breakdown, Sparks Reactions with Expenses
- A South African teacher shared her salary and monthly expenses, prompting netizens to share opinions on black tax
- Her video highlighted challenges such as black tax, childcare, housing, and budgeting pressures for young professionals
- The post encouraged transparency and sparked discussions about financial planning and real-life living costs
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South Africans engaged with the teacher’s salary breakdown, gaining perspective on the financial pressures faced by young professionals and educators.
Source: TikTok
A young South African teacher and TikTok user @on_kwate posted a TikTok on 25 July 2025 revealing her salary and monthly expenses, attracting over 21,000 likes and 1,200 comments. She, a 30-year-old teacher with one child. She shared:
“When we say we’re broke after payday, please believe us.”
Her salary of R21,500 is distributed across rent which she pays R3,000, policies of R1,000, child’s crèche of R1,200, groceries worth R4,000, Netflix payment of R100, hair maintenance cost of R450, nails maintenance cost of R250, car payment worth R3,500, university fees costing her R5,000, and black tax costing her R3,000. Her candid breakdown gave viewers an authentic look into the financial realities of young professionals in South Africa.
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The video resonated with netizens, many relating to her struggles with managing expenses and understanding the impact of black tax and other obligations. It sparked conversations about budgeting, prioritising needs, and the financial pressures faced by teachers. Commenters shared their own experiences, emphasising how challenging it is to manage finances even with a seemingly decent salary.
Teacher shares real-life expenses for salary transparency
The clip also highlighted broader issues regarding living costs in South Africa. Viewers discussed the rising costs of housing, childcare, and education while reflecting on how young professionals often struggle to balance savings and family responsibilities. The teacher’s transparency encouraged others to share their own salary experiences and engage in open conversations about money management.
Ultimately, the TikTok became more than a personal revelation; it sparked national dialogue about salaries, expenses, and transparency. By revealing real numbers, the teacher provided insight into everyday challenges faced by South Africans, making it both educational and relatable. The post demonstrated how honest content can engage audiences while creating meaningful discussions about financial literacy.
Source: TikTok
Mzansi reacted to the salary
Xiluva M said:
“May I never see providing for my family as black tax.”
twinkle commented:
“Black tax is too much.”
Thato wrote:
“Salary: 25K. Occupation: Teacher. Child: 0. Car+Insurance+petrol etc: R12000 (2018 Golf 7). Rent: Backroom. Angiyeze lezinto zama policy.”
Themba The WordSmith said:
“Unemployed. R350. R100 for data. R100 for groceries. R100 for transport to look for a job and documents. R50 for toiletries.”
Thisha Ongaziwa commented:
“Food R4000 uthenga e Woolies mama.”
Londeka Dlamini wrote:
“On my side groceries costs R500. I only eat when I'm feeling dizzy. Ngeke phela kuyabiza ukudla.”
keke said:
“Salary 42k, rental income 9k, bonds 10k, daughters school fees 4.9k, wife allowance 7k, car 6k, groceries 3k, insurance 1.2k.”
SamkeKhoza commented:
“What is black tax? Ei ni ungrateful kdw bakwethu kade kondliwa nina kwakungesiyo black tax sekuyin eni ryt niybiza kanje.”
Kayrra said:
“Why R3k for black tax? Reduce that, it’s too much and you don’t even have any savings account or insurance nje.”
Check out the TikTok post below:
3 Briefly News stories about salaries
- A South African woman went viral on TikTok after sharing her journey of starting at a call centre, earning R4,000.
- A cruise ship musician shared his age and income details on social media, revealing how much he earns at just 25 years old.
- A video showed a young man revealing he works as an operations manager, sparking interest in his salary and lifestyle.
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Source: Briefly News
