A Malawian who came to South Africa “for a better life” is to be deported back to his country of birth after serving a jail sentence for illegally skimming credit cards at a restaurant he worked for.

Christopher Mbeye was jailed for a year, after pleading guilty to 10 counts of fraud, 11 violations of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act and one of the Immigration Act.

He appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court, before Amrith Chabillal, who said Mbeye was in South Africa illegally, as he had failed to extend his temporary residence permit.

Mbeye had worked at the De Leuwen Jagt restaurant on the Seidelberg Wine Estate, where he had taken advantage of unsuspecting dining guests who had used their credit cards to pay for their meals.