The real pay picture Hotel waiter base salary in Cape Town sits between R5,800 and R8,500 per month for a 45-hour week. That's the boring half. The interesting half is tips and service charge, which at a busy V&A Waterfront or Camps Bay property can add R3,000 – R8,000 a month in peak season (November–February). 5-star hotels run a tronc (pooled tip) system; smaller restaurants let you keep your own tables' tips. Tips are taxable income in South Africa — SARS treats them as remuneration whet...