The R56 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 ...

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

Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...

with

Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...

via

Molteno Molteno (; lmo, label= Brianzöö, Mültée) is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a hill-top town in the Province of Lecco in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Lecco. As of 31 December 2004, it h ...

, Maclear and

Kokstad Kokstad is a town in the Harry Gwala District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Kokstad is named after the Griqua chief Adam Kok III who settled here in 1863. Kokstad is the capital town of the East Griqualand region, as it i ...

. It is co-signed with the N2 between Kokstad and Stafford's Post for 39 kilometres. The R56 is known for being part of the shortest route between

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 ...

in the

Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...

and

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 ...

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

. There are 12 main towns on the R56, namely Middelburg Karoo, Steynsburg, Molteno,

Dordrecht Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a city and municipality in the Western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the province's fifth-largest city after R ...

, Khowa, Ugie, Maclear,

Matatiele Matatiele is a town located in the northern part of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. According to the South African National Census of 2011, its 12,466 residents (1,113.44 per km²) and 4,107 households (366.83 per km²) make Matati ...

, Kokstad,

Ixopo Ixopo is a town situated on a tributary of the Mkhomazi River along the R56 highway in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Background Ixopo was formerly known as Stuartstown, was laid out in 1878 and named after M Stuart, Resident Magi ...

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and Pietermaritzburg.

Route

Eastern Cape

The R56 begins in the

town centre, at a junction with Meintjies Street. West of this junction, it is the R398 Road. It begins by going eastwards to form an intersection with the N9 & N10 National Route co-signage. From the N9/N10 Interchange, the R56 goes eastwards for 75 kilometres, through

Rosmead Rosmead is a village 12 km east of Middelburg and 75 km west-south-west of Steynsburg Steynsburg is a small town in the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality of the Joe Gqabi District Municipality, Eastern Cape province of South Africa ...

, to meet the R390 Road from

Hofmeyr Hofmeyr is a small Karoo town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, 20 km west of the Bamboesberg mountain range. It lies 64 km north-east of Cradock at an altitude of 1,252 metres. According to the 2011 census, the population ...

. The R56 & R390 become one road for 10 kilometres into the town of Steynsburg. They enter the Steynsburg CBD in a southerly direction after bypassing the Khayamnandi suburb and they turn east at Van Riebeeck Street. East of the town centre, the R390 becomes its own road northwards while the R56 remains facing eastwards. The R56 continues eastwards for 30 kilometres to meet the R391 Road and turn to the east-south-east. It proceeds for 17 kilometres to meet the R397 Road. The R56 & R397 are one road south-east for 15 kilometres, through the town of

(where it makes a left & right turn), before the R397 becomes its own road southwards. From the R397 junction, the R56 goes eastwards for 30 kilometres to meet the N6 National Route south of Jamestown. It continues eastwards for 35 kilometres to enter the town of

and meet the R392 Road. The R56 & R392 are one road north-east for 4 kilometres before the R392 becomes its own road northwards. The R56 goes east-south-east for 34 kilometres to meet the R396 Road in the town of

Indwe Indwe is a small town in Chris Hani District Municipality near Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town is situated between Dordrecht and Elliot on the R56 road. It was founded in 1896 as a centre for coal-mining activiti ...

. The R56 & R396 are one road north-east for 5 kilometres before the R396 becomes its own road northwards. The R56 proceeds eastwards for 43 kilometres to meet the R58 Road from

Ngcobo Ngcobo (formerly Engcobo) is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Ngcobo is the main town of the Engcobo Local Municipality, which falls within the Chris Hani District Municipality of the Eastern Cape. It is situated in the weste ...

. The R56 & R58 are one road north-east for 8 kilometres into the town of Khowa (formerly Elliot), before the R58 becomes its own road northwards in the Khowa town centre. From Khowa, the R56 goes north-east for 69 kilometres to meet the R396 Road again in the town of Maclear. They are one road westwards in the town centre before the R56 becomes the road northwards. The R56 goes north-north-east for 128 kilometres, called the Moordenaarsnek Pass up to the town of

Mount Fletcher Mount Fletcher (officially Tlokoeng) is a town in Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, 69 km north-north-east of Maclear. Founded in 1882, it takes its name from the mountain nearby. This was probabl ...

, to the town of

. From Matatiele, the R56 goes eastwards for 25 kilometres, through Cedarville, to cross the

Mzimvubu River Mzimvubu River or Umzimvubu River is one of the most important rivers in South Africa. It is located in the Eastern Cape Province. Course The river has its source in the northern region of the Eastern Cape, in the area of Matatiele and Mount Fle ...

. Just after crossing the Mzimvubu River, the R56 leaves 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 and enters

KwaZulu-Natal

From the Mzimvubu River crossing east of Cedarville, the R56 goes eastwards for 45 kilometres to enter the town of

, where it meets the south-western terminus of the R617 Road in the town centre. The R56 turns southwards at this junction and proceeds to form a junction with the N2 National Route south of the town. The R56 joins the N2 and they are one road eastwards for 38 kilometres before the R56 becomes its own road to the north-east at the Strafford's Post junction. From the N2 split, the R56 goes north-north-east for 63 kilometres, through Rietvlei and

Umzimkhulu Umzimkhulu is a town in Harry Gwala District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The town lies 243 km north-east of Mthatha and 18 km south-west of Ixopo. It developed from a trading-post and was laid out in 188 ...

(where it crosses the

Umzimkulu River The Mzimkulu River is a river in South Africa. In the past, the Mzimkulu formed part of the border between Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Presently this river is part of the Mvoti to Umzimkulu Water Management Area. In late February ...

), to the town of

, where it meets the R612 Road. From Ixopo, the R56 goes north for 81 kilometres, crossing the

Umkomazi River The Umkhomazi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Course It rises in some of the highest eastwards-facing slopes of the Drakensberg mountains, near the mighty Thabana Ntlenyana. The river flows southeastwards towards the Indian Oc ...

, through

, Hopewell and Thornville, to enter the city of

. West of

Pietermaritzburg Airport Pietermaritzburg Airport is the primary airport serving the city of Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas, including the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, Midlands and the outer west areas of Durban. Pietermaritzburg Airport is the only airport in the ...

, the R56 meets the R103 Road and they are co-signed northwards through the western area of the suburb of Scottsville. At a t-junction adjacent to the

Msunduzi River The Msunduzi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is also known by its anglicised name, the ''Dusi River''. The original name, ''Msunduzi'', is isiZulu. The Msunduzi is a tributary of the Mngeni River. In Pietermaritzburg The ...

, the R103 becomes the road westwards (Chief Albert Luthuli Street) while the R56 becomes the road eastwards. It goes through the northern part of the Scottsville Suburb as New England Road to reach its eastern terminus at an off-ramp junction with the N3 National Route.

References

External links

Route 56 Info
{{DEFAULTSORT:R56 Road (South Africa) 56 56 Provincial routes in South Africa