The N6 is a national route in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

that connects East London with

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State (province), Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legisla ...

, via

Komani Queenstown, officially Komani, is a town in the middle of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, roughly halfway between the smaller towns of Cathcart and Sterkstroom on the N6 National Route. The town was established in 1853 and is curr ...

and

Maletswai Aliwal North (officially Maletswai) is a town in central South Africa on the banks of the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province. It is a medium-sized commercial centre in the northernmost part of the Eastern Cape. History Sir Harry Smith, then ...

. It runs roughly from north to south, connecting the N1 with the N2.

Route

Eastern Cape

The N6 begins in the City of East London in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

Province, next to the

Nahoon River The Nahoon River ( xh, Nxaruni) is situated in the city of East London on the east coast of South Africa. Geography It is to the east of the Buffalo River harbour, and is to the west of Gonubie River. The suburb of Nahoon is on its west bank a ...

, at an interchange with the

N2 Highway The N2 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha and Durban to Ermelo. It is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. Its current length of makes it ...

. South of the highway, it is the R72 Road. It begins by going northwest for 31 Kilometres to the town of

Macleantown Macleantown is a town in Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Village 34 km north-west of East London and 46 km south-east of Stutterheim Stutterheim is a town with a population of 46,730 in South Africa, situ ...

, where it leaves the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. It continues northwest for another 21 Kilometres to meet the R63 Road at an intersection near

Kei Road Kei Road is a town in Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Village 27 km north-east of King William’s Town and 24 km south-east of Stutterheim Stutterheim is a town with a population of 46,73 ...

. It continues northwest for 19 kilometers to the town of

Stutterheim Stutterheim is a town with a population of 46,730 in South Africa, situated in the Border region of the Eastern Cape province. It is named after Richard Von Stutterheim. History The area's earliest human population were Bushmen. Khoikhoi groups ...

. It proceeds northwest for another 47 kilometers to the town of

Cathcart Cathcart ( sco, Kithcart, gd, Coille Chart)
is an are ...

. It proceeds north-north-west for 54 kilometres, crossing the

Black Kei River The Black Kei River, originates southwest of Queenstown, and eventually joins the White Kei River, to become the Great Kei River. Several villages are situated on its banks, including McBride Village, Qabi, Ntabelanga, Thornhill, Loudon, Mitfo ...

, to reach Queenstown (town renamed Komani in February 2016). 14 kilometers before Komani, the

R61 R61 may refer to: * R61 (South Africa) The R61 is a long provincial route in South Africa that connects Beaufort West with Port Shepstone via Graaff-Reinet, Komani (previously Queenstown), Mthatha and Port Edward. The R61 is co-signed with the ...

meets the N6 and they are one road into the town of Komani. In the Stuttaford suburb of Komani, the R61 becomes its own road westwards at the roundabout junction with Barrable Street. The N6 continues northwards for 162 kilometres as the

Penhoek Pass Penhoek Pass is a mountain pass situated in the Stormberg Mountains of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It lies about 60 km north of Queenstown on the national road N6 to Jamestown and Aliwal North Aliwal North (officially ...

, bypassing Sterkstroom, meeting the R56 and passing through Jamestown, to the town of

Aliwal North Aliwal North (officially Maletswai) is a town in central South Africa on the banks of the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province. It is a medium-sized commercial centre in the northernmost part of the Eastern Cape. History Sir Harry Smith, then ...

(renamed Maletswai in 2016), where it meets the R58. At the junction with Barkly Street in Maletswai, the N6 makes a left turn and proceeds to cross the

Orange River The Orange River (from Afrikaans/Dutch: ''Oranjerivier'') is a river in Southern Africa. It is the longest river in South Africa. With a total length of , the Orange River Basin extends from Lesotho into South Africa and Namibia to the north ...

into the Free State as the General Hertzog Bridge.

Free State

From the

crossing at

, the N6 goes north-north-east for 34 kilometres to the town of

Rouxville Rouxville is a small wool and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa and is situated on the N6 national route. The town is at the centre of the wool producing area of the Transgariep. Rouxville is situated near a number o ...

, where it meets the southern terminus of the

R26 R26 or R-26 may refer to: Roads * R-26 regional road (Montenegro) * R26 (South Africa) Other uses * R-26 (missile), a Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile * R26 (New York City Subway car) * R-26 (salon), an artistic salon in Paris * Br ...

. It turns to the north-west and continues for 37 kilometres, crossing the Caledon River, to the town of Smithfield, where the R701 joins it in the southern suburbs before they split in the northern suburbs. From Smithfield, the N6 continues north-north-west for 70 kilometres to the town of

Reddersburg Reddersburg is a small sheep and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa on the N6 National Route 60 kilometres south of Bloemfontein. History The town was established around the Reformed Church Reddersburg, which was es ...

, where it is joined by the R717 from

Edenburg Edenburg is a town situated about south of Bloemfontein in the Free State province of South Africa. , it had a population of 14,566. Background Edenburg was proclaimed a town in 1863 and received municipal government in 1891. The town is 85 ...

in the southern suburbs before they split in the central area. From Reddersburg, the N6 makes a direct line for

, going northwards for 49 kilometres to reach a four-way junction south-west of the Bloemfontein suburb of Mangaung (which is also the name of the Metropolitan Municipality in which the city is located). As the road northwards from this junction is the M30 Metropolitan Route towards the Mangaung suburb and Bloemfontein Central, the N6 becomes the road westwards and proceeds to end at the next junction, which is an interchange with the N1 Highway ( Bloemfontein Western Bypass).

History

Prior to 1970, the N6 began from

King William's Town Qonce, formerly known as King William's Town, is a city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa along the banks of the Buffalo River (Eastern Cape), Buffalo River. The city is about northwest of the Indian Ocean port of East London, South ...

in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and proceeded through

. Today, the road from King William's Town to Stutterheim is designated as the R346 Road. Also, the N6 used to end at its current junction with the R717 south of the

Town Centre, as the R717 from

to Reddersburg, together with the N6 from Reddersburg to

, formed part of the N1 National Route.Anonymous. Shell Road Atlas of Southern Africa. Shell, 1970

References

External links

National Roads Agency SA
{{coord missing, South Africa National Roads in South Africa Roads in South Africa