A senior official at a North West municipality is a convicted criminal who has allegedly left a trail of destruction with his previous employers.

Maquassi Hills has had a thief on its payroll for nearly five months. The municipality, situated in Wolmaranstad, on Friday suspended head of public safety Windy Mahlangu following revelations that he was previously convicted of stealing cattle.

North West police spokesman Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

Mahlangu has two pending cases - one of driving under the influence of alcohol and another of impersonating a police officer.

In May 2011, Mahlangu loaded four cows on a bakkie but was later arrested in Mpumalanga, police spokesman Sergeant Gerald Sedibe said.

"He was sentenced to three years, 18 months was suspended for five years," Sedibe said.

Sowetan enquired about Mahlangu's chequered past last week. The municipality responded, saying Mahlangu had been suspended with immediate effect pending an investigation.

Spokesman for the municipality Zanele Mphafudi confirmed that Mahlangu worked for the municipality for more than four months and that the municipality had only recently been made aware of his crimes and conviction.

But Mphafudi denied that the municipality only became aware after Sowetan's enquiries.

Mahlangu was suspended a day after questions were sent to the municipality. "Some of the employees raised this issue and we took a decision as a municipality.

"Yes, we do confirm [that he was employed and] his formal position which he was appointed for is divisional head public safety. He was engaged from 1st February 2015 to date," Mphafudi said.

Mphafudi confirmed that Mahlangu was suspended on Friday with immediate effect.

Mahlangu is said to have faced a charge of impersonating a police officer a few years ago, but it was not clear where that happened.

selebim@sowetan.co.za