THE double tragedy that took place in North West last week might have been prevented if relatives had taken warnings seriously.

Moeketsi Tau hanged his 4-year-old son Kgotso after his girlfriend Joyce Molefe left him.

The deceased were buried separately in Selocha and Manamela sections in Mabeskraal, near Sun City, in North West on Sunday.

A friend of Tau's, Grace Khunou, said Tau had warned on several occasions that he would end his life, that of his son and that of Molefe if she did not reconcile with him.

Khunou said a hysterical Tau once came over to her workplace and asked her to speak to Molefe about taking him back.

Molefe had left their home and went to stay with her daughter in nearby Sunrise township after what she called "constant verbal abuse".

She said she went to Molefe and told her what Tau had said.

"I could tell that he was really disturbed. My heart breaks when I think about Kgotso," Khunou said.

Molefe also revealed that Tau often threatened to take his life but did not carry out his threats. On Tuesday last week he ran off with his son Kgotso and they were found dead the following day, hanging from a rooftop.