Two South African forensic data analysts, Pretorius Walter James Seymour, 51, and Germishuizen Danica, 23, along with their Zimbabwean colleague, Cooper Daniel Colin, 33, were fined US$200 each for obstructing traffic while investigating a deadly crash in Chitungwiza, a town near Harare, Zimbabwe. The trio pleaded guilty to the charge before Harare magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe, with the alternative of four months' imprisonment if the fines were not paid.
The incident occurred at the site of a tragic July 2025 collision at Hunyani River Bridge, where a minibus taxi and a haulage truck crashed, claiming 17 lives. Seymour and Danica, Johannesburg-based crash data experts, had entered Zimbabwe on 20 August 2025 with business visas to probe the accident. Accompanied by Colin, they were observed marking scrape marks with paint and a tape measure on Seke Road, a busy route connecting Harare’s central business district to Chitungwiza.
Their activities inadvertently caused a traffic jam, prompting a senior police officer to intervene. The trio was arrested after failing to provide a satisfactory explanation for conducting their investigation without notifying local authorities. According to Zimbabwe’s state media, The Herald, the group’s actions disrupted the flow of traffic, leading to their charges.
The crash site remains a place of mourning, with flowers still placed along the roadside in memory of the victims. The Zimbabwe Republic Police, led by Commissioner Paul Nyathi, are continuing investigations into the original accident to determine its cause, urging drivers to prioritise road safety.
In a broader context, Zimbabwe has seen other legal issues involving South Africans. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission recently reported that several South African nationals are detained in Harare Remand Prison for immigration violations, with some awaiting deportation and others facing charges for serious crimes like armed robbery and drug dealing.
