A man hanged his two children before hanging himself at Ngaleng village in Mankweng, outside Polokwane, on Saturday evening.

Limpopo police said the man, Samuel Kgatle, 38, separated from his wife last year and his wife left with their two children to live with her family.

“On Saturday, the children went back to Mankweng to visit their father for the school holidays and upon their arrival, the man allegedly called his wife and they had a conflict telephonically.

“Subsequent to this telephonic conflict, the father allegedly turned against the children and hanged them one by one in separate rooms before he fled the scene," police spokesperspon Col Moatshe Ngoepe said.

He said police were summoned and reacted swiftly.

Ngoepe said a hunt was launched for the man and he was found hanged in a house in the area.

The deceased girls are Anna Kgatle, 8, and Mary Kgatle, 5.

Acting Limpopo police commissioner Maj-Gen Jan Scheepers advised members of the community to seek professional assistance when they experienced any social-related problems in their lives rather than resorting to murder, especially of innocent children.