Ten spyte van die fout word sy betaal.

Ten spyte van is a fixed expression meaning despite or in spite of.

Here, ten is not the number ten. It is part of an old, fixed expression. For learners, the best approach is to memorize ten spyte van as one whole chunk rather than trying to build it word by word.

So:

• ten spyte van die fout = despite the mistake

That is because Afrikaans is a verb-second language in main clauses.

The basic clause is:

• Sy word betaal. = She is paid / She gets paid.

But when another element is moved to the front for emphasis, the finite verb must still stay in second position:

• Ten spyte van die fout
  • word
    • sy
      • betaal

So the structure is:

1. fronted phrase: Ten spyte van die fout
2. finite verb: word
3. subject: sy
4. rest of the clause: betaal

This is very common in Afrikaans.

No. In this sentence, word is being used as a passive auxiliary, not with its usual meaning become.

Compare:

• Sy word moeg. = She becomes tired.
• Sy word betaal. = She is paid / She gets paid.

So in your sentence, word helps form the passive voice.

Because sy is the subject pronoun (she), while haar is usually the object pronoun (her).

In the passive sentence, the person receiving the action becomes the subject:

• Active: Hulle betaal haar. = They pay her.
• Passive: Sy word betaal. = She is paid.

So sy is correct here because she is the grammatical subject of the sentence.

In passive constructions, Afrikaans uses a past participle, but some verbs do not take ge-.

Betaal begins with be-, and verbs with inseparable prefixes like be-, ge-, her-, er-, ont-, and ver- normally do not add ge- in the participle.

So:

• infinitive: betaal
• participle: betaal

That is why you get:

• Sy word betaal not
• Sy word gebetaal

A similar example:

• besoek → word besoek

Die fout means the mistake, so it refers to a specific mistake that is known or understood from the context.

• ten spyte van die fout = despite the mistake
• ten spyte van 'n fout = despite a mistake

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things:

• die fout = a particular error
• 'n fout = some error, not specifically identified

Yes, this is a present passive form.

• word ... betaal often means something like is paid, gets paid, or is being paid, depending on context.

Afrikaans often uses:

• word for an uncompleted / ongoing / general passive
• is for a completed passive

For example:

• Sy word betaal. = She is being paid / She gets paid.
• Sy is betaal. = She has been paid / She was paid.

So your sentence presents the payment as something current, general, or not viewed as completed.

Yes. Ondanks die fout is also correct and very natural.

Compare:

• Ten spyte van die fout word sy betaal.
• Ondanks die fout word sy betaal.

Both mean basically the same thing. The difference is mostly one of style:

• ten spyte van = slightly more formal or emphatic
• ondanks = shorter and very common

A learner should understand and be able to use both.

Yes. That is also grammatical.

Compare:

• Ten spyte van die fout word sy betaal.
• Sy word betaal ten spyte van die fout.

The meaning stays essentially the same, but the emphasis changes:

• Starting with Ten spyte van die fout highlights the contrast immediately.
• Starting with Sy word betaal sounds more neutral.

So the version in your sentence is mainly a matter of word order and focus.

The sentence is in the passive voice, so the person or group doing the action is left unstated.

That is very normal. The sentence focuses on her and the fact that payment happens despite the mistake, not on the payer.

If you want to mention the agent, you can add it with deur:

• Ten spyte van die fout word sy deur die maatskappy betaal. = Despite the mistake, she is paid by the company.

Or you can make it active:

• Ten spyte van die fout betaal die maatskappy haar.

So the original sentence simply leaves the payer unspecified because it is not the main point.