The R48 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
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
De Aar
De Aar is a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It has a population of around 42,000 inhabitants.
It is the second-most important railway junction in the country, situated on the line between Cape Town and Kimberley. The junctio ...
with
Petrusburg
Petrusburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. It started out as a Dutch Reformed Church serving the farms in 1891. When it became a town, it was originally started on a farm close to "Emmaus", a railway sta ...
on the
N8.
Route
The R48 begins west of the town centre of
De Aar
De Aar is a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It has a population of around 42,000 inhabitants.
It is the second-most important railway junction in the country, situated on the line between Cape Town and Kimberley. The junctio ...
, at a junction with the
N10 National Route. It begins by going eastwards into De Aar's northern suburbs up to the Friedlander street junction, where the R48 turns to the north-east. It goes for 42 km east-north-east to the town of
Philipstown. It enters Philipstown in an easterly direction and meets the northern terminus of the
R389 Road at a junction in the town centre, where it turns northwards.
From Philipstown, the R48 goes north-north-east for 40 kilometres to meet the
R369 Road and enter the town of
Petrusville
Petrusville is a village in the eastern Karoo region of South Africa, located in the Northern Cape province.
It is 45 km north-east of Philipstown, 56 km south-east of Kraankuil and 10 km south of the Orange River. Founded about ...
. The R369 joins the R48 and they are one road northwards for 20 kilometres, passing through Petrusville Central and bypassing
Vanderkloof
Vanderkloof is a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is located on the Orange River and near the Rolfontein Nature Reserve.
The village is on the site of the Vanderkloof Dam, (formerly the P.K. le Roux Dam), 9 km north-e ...
to the west, before the R48 becomes its own road northwards while the R369 turns to the north-west.
From the R369 split west of Vanderkloof, the R48 heads north-north-east for 33 kilometres, crossing 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, to the town of
Luckhoff
Lückhoff is a small merino sheep farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. It was established on the farm Koffiekuil in 1892 and named after a Dutch Reformed Church minister Reverend HJ Luckhoff.
Nowadays the bulk of the sheep f ...
. It continues north-north-east for 43 kilometres to meet the north-western terminus of the
R704 Road in the town of
Koffiefontein
Koffiefontein is a small farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. The name means ''coffee fountain'' in Afrikaans.
History
In the 1800s, Koffiefontein was a stopover spot for transport riders traveling between the coast and the di ...
. It makes a left and a right turn before continuing northwards for 10 kilometres, crossing the
Riet River
The Riet River is a westward-flowing tributary of the Vaal River in central South Africa. In precolonial times the Riet was known as the Gama-!ab (or Gmaap), a name meaning 'muddy'. Its main tributary is the Modder River and after the confluence ...
, to reach a junction with the southern terminus of the
R705 Road.
From the junction with the R705 north of Koffiefontein, the R48 goes north-east for 43 kilometres to reach its north-eastern terminus in the town of
Petrusburg
Petrusburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. It started out as a Dutch Reformed Church serving the farms in 1891. When it became a town, it was originally started on a farm close to "Emmaus", a railway sta ...
, at a junction with the
N8 National Route south-west of the town centre.
References
External links
Routes Travel Info
48
48
Provincial routes in South Africa
{{SouthAfrica-road-stub