R31 (South Africa)
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The R31 is a
provincial route A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in the
Northern Cape The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of the Kgalagadi T ...
of
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 Kimberley with the
Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
n
border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
at
Rietfontein Rietfontein is a town in ZF Mgcawu District Municipality located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It functions as the Rietfontein Borderpost with Namibia during the day hours of 08:00-16:30, that gives access to and from south-east N ...
via
Kuruman Kuruman is a small town with just over 53,000 inhabitants in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is known for its scenic beauty and the Eye of Kuruman, a geological feature that brings water from deep underground. The abundance of water ...
and
Hotazel Hotazel is a town in John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The town serves the manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is ...
. It is co-signed with the
R360 The R360 is a motion simulator arcade cabinet produced by Sega. It was first released in Japan in 1990, and internationally a year later. Being short for "Rotate 360", the R360 is noteworthy for its ability to spin 360 degrees in any direction o ...
between Askham and Andriesvale. Some sections of this road are gravel road.


Route

The R31 begins in Kimberley (Capital of the
Northern Cape The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of the Kgalagadi T ...
), south-west of the city centre, at an intersection with the N12 National Route. It begins by going north-north-west through the western area of Kimberley, meeting the R357 road at the next junction and the N8 National Route at the following junction. From the N8 junction in Kimberley, the R31 goes north-north-west for 31 kilometres, passing by the
Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre is a rock engraving site with visitor centre on land owned by the !Xun and Khwe San situated about 16 km from Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa. It is a declared Provincial Heritage Site managed by the N ...
, to cross the
Vaal River The Vaal River ( ; Khoemana: ) is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source near Breyten in Mpumalanga province, east of Johannesburg and about north of Ermelo and only about from the Indian Ocean. ...
and enter the town of
Barkly West Barkly West is a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, situated on the north bank of the Vaal River west of Kimberley, Northern Cape, Kimberley. Establishment and naming Barkly West was the site of the first major diamond rush, in 18 ...
, where it meets the southern terminus of the R374 road and passes through in a westerly direction. From Barkly West, the R31 goes north-west for 28 kilometres, following the
Vaal River The Vaal River ( ; Khoemana: ) is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source near Breyten in Mpumalanga province, east of Johannesburg and about north of Ermelo and only about from the Indian Ocean. ...
, to cross the
Harts River The Harts River ( af, Hartsrivier) is a northern tributary of the Vaal River, which in turn is the largest tributary of the Orange River (also known as the Gariep River, the largest river in South Africa). Its source is in the North West Province, ...
and reach a junction with the R370 Road near Delportshoop. From the R370 junction, the R31 goes west for 79 kilometres, through
Koopmansfontein Koopmansfontein is a village 61 km north-west of Barkly West, 115 km east of Postmasburg, between Kimberley and Hotazel. Said to have been named after a Griqua Griqua may refer to: * Griqua people * Griqua language or Xiri language * ...
, to reach a junction with the R385 Road south of Daniëlskuil. At this junction, the R31 turns northwards and proceeds to enter Daniëlskuil. From Daniëlskuil, the R31 goes northwards for 72 kilometres, passing by the
Wonderwerk Cave Wonderwerk Cave is an archaeological site, formed originally as an ancient solution cavity in dolomite rocks of the Kuruman Hills, situated between Danielskuil and Kuruman in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. It is a National Heritage S ...
, to meet the western terminus of the R372 Road. It goes northwards for a further 8 kilometres to enter the town of
Kuruman Kuruman is a small town with just over 53,000 inhabitants in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is known for its scenic beauty and the Eye of Kuruman, a geological feature that brings water from deep underground. The abundance of water ...
, where it meets the N14 National Route in the town centre. From Kuruman, the R31 goes north-west for 57 kilometres to meet the R380 Road at a junction. The R380 joins the R31 and they are
one road ''One Road'' is the debut album by first-season New Zealand Idol winner Ben Lummis, released in New Zealand on 16 June 2004. Chart and single information Chart ''One Road'' debuted on the official New Zealand albums chart at number 1 and held ...
north-west for 16 kilometres, bypassing
Hotazel Hotazel is a town in John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The town serves the manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is ...
, before the R31 becomes its own road westwards. From the R380 junction near Hotazel, the R31 goes west-north-west for 95 kilometres to the town of Van Zylsrus. From Van Zylsrus, the R31 goes westwards for 148 kilometres, following the Kuruman River, to reach a t-junction with the R360 Road in the town of Askham. The section between Van Zylsrus and Askham is a gravel road. The R31 joins the R360 and they are one road westwards for 13 kilometres up to a junction in Andriesvale, adjacent to the
Molopo River The Molopo River ( af, Moloporivier) is one of the main rivers in Southern Africa. It has a length of approximately 960 kilometres and a catchment area of 367,201 km2 with Botswana, Namibia and South Africa sharing roughly about a third of th ...
and Kuruman River confluence (south of the
Gemsbok The gemsbok or South African oryx (''Oryx gazella'') is a large antelope in the genus ''Oryx''. It is native to the extremely dry, arid regions of Southern Africa; notably, the Kalahari Desert. Some authorities formerly classified the East Afric ...
Border with
Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...
), where the R360 becomes the road northwards towards the
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a large wildlife preserve and conservation area in southern Africa. The park straddles the border between South Africa and Botswana and comprises two adjoining national parks: * Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in S ...
while the R31 remains as the road westwards. From the R360 junction in Andriesvale, the R31 goes westwards for 70 kilometres, through Klein Mier, bypassing the Hakskeenpan, to enter the town of
Rietfontein Rietfontein is a town in ZF Mgcawu District Municipality located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It functions as the Rietfontein Borderpost with Namibia during the day hours of 08:00-16:30, that gives access to and from south-east N ...
. It passes through as the main road before reaching the Rietfontein Border Post with
Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
, where it becomes the C16 road to
Keetmanshoop Keetmanshoop is a city in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia, lying on the Trans-Namib Railway from Windhoek to Upington in South Africa. It is named after Johann Keetman, a German industrialist and benefactor of the city. History Befo ...
.


References


External links


Routes Travel Info
{{DEFAULTSORT:R31 Road (South Africa) 31 Provincial routes in South Africa