The N5 is a national route in

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

that connects the N1 at

Winburg Winburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State (province), Free State province of South Africa. It is the oldest proclaimed town (1837) in the Orange Free State, South Africa and thus along with Griquastad, one of the oldest settlemen ...

with the N3 at

Harrismith Harrismith is a large town in the Free State province of South Africa. It was named for Sir Harry Smith, a 19th-century British governor and high commissioner of the Cape Colony. It is situated by the Wilge River, alongside the N3 highway, ab ...

, via

Senekal Senekal is a town situated on the banks of the Sand River in the eastern part of the Free State province of South Africa. It was named after Commandant FP Senekal. It is the second largest town in Setsoto Municipality after Ficksburg, the lar ...

Paul Roux Paul Roux is a small town in the Free State province of South Africa that produces poplar wood for the safety match industry. It is situated on the N5 highway near Bethlehem, Free State. It was named after a well-known Dutch Reformed Church lea ...

and

Bethlehem Bethlehem (; ar, بيت لحم ; he, בֵּית לֶחֶם '' '') is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000,Amara, 1999p. 18.Brynen, 2000p. 202. and it is the capital o ...

. It forms part of the main route between

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

and

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. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape To ...

as well as the quickest route between

and

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

, as it connects the N3 towards Durban at Harrismith and the N1 towards Bloemfontein at Winburg.

Route

The N5 begins in

, at an interchange with the N1 north-west of the town centre. It is initially co-signed with the R708 eastwards, bypassing Winburg to the north (where the R709 provides access to the town centre). After 9 kilometres, the R708 becomes its own road south-east towards Marquard, leaving the N5 as the easterly road. From the R708 split east of Winburg, the N5 heads east for 54 kilometres to the town of

. In Senekal West, the N5 is joined by the R70 from

Ventersburg Ventersburg is a small town in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality of the Free State province in South Africa, 148 km north of Bloemfontein. History It was established on the farm Kromfontein which was owned by PA Venter who died in 18 ...

and the R707 from Marquard and they are one road eastwards through the Senekal town centre. After 8 kilometres, east of Senekal, the R707 becomes its own road to the north-east and after another 1 kilometre, the R70 becomes its own road to the south-east. From the R70 split east of Senekal, the N5 heads eastwards for 60 kilometres, through

, to the city of

, where it passes through the city centre as two one-way-streets (Muller Street eastwards and Kerk Street westwards). In the Bethlehem City Centre, the N5 meets 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 ...

and the south-eastern terminus of the R76 at the Commissioner Street junction. The

joins the N5 and they are co-signed eastwards through the city centre up to the Hospital Road junction where the

becomes the road northwards and the N5 becomes the road southwards. It turns to the south-east and meets the western terminus of the R712 before crossing the

As River The As River is a tributary of the Liebenbergsvlei River in the eastern Free State, South Africa. Since 1968 it is impounded by the Sol Plaatje Dam (formerly: Saulspoort Dam) at its confluence with the latter river, just east of Bethlehem. Its ...

. From Bethlehem, the N5 heads eastwards for 37 kilometres to bypass the town of

Kestell Kestell is a small maize farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. Town 46 km west of Harrismith and east of Bethlehem. The new village was laid out in 1905 on the farms Mooifontein and Driekuil, acquired from Adriaan and J ...

and meet the R57 at an off-ramp junction north of the town centre. From Kestell, the N5 heads eastwards for 41 kilometres to meet the western terminus of the R74 and enter the city of

. Just south of the Harrismith City Centre, the N5 crosses the

Wilge River The Wilge River ( af, Wilgerivier, meaning "willow river") is a tributary of the Vaal River in central South Africa. This river is important as part of the Tugela-Vaal Water Transfer Scheme where water is transferred from the Tugela River basin t ...

and reaches its eastern terminus at an interchange with the N3.

References

External links

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