15/10/2026
R100,000 in school fees costs more than R100,000.
There is no tax deduction for school fees in South Africa, so every rand comes from after-tax income.
At a 36% marginal tax rate, R100,000 in fees takes R156,250 of salary. At 41%, R169,492.
Then add uniforms, textbooks, extramurals, camps, tours and transport, plus yearly increases that usually run ahead of inflation.
If a credit card, a personal loan or the access bond is covering the gap, the fees have outgrown the budget, and the interest makes next year harder. Talk to the school's bursar early, while the options are still yours.
What private school really costs, line by line:
https://www.debtsolutions4u.co.za/article/private-school-fees-debt-south-africa