The R57 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

Vanderbijlpark Vanderbijlpark is an industrial town with approximately 95 000 inhabitants, situated on the Vaal River in the south of Gauteng province, South Africa. The city is named after Hendrik van der Bijl, an electrical engineer and industrialist. Vand ...

with

Phuthaditjhaba Phuthaditjhaba (formerly Witsieshoek or Qwaqwa) is a town in the Free State province of South Africa. Phuthaditjhaba is a seSotho name that means ''meeting place of the tribes''. It is located on the banks of the Elands River.Sasolburg Sasolburg is a large industrial city within the Metsimaholo Local Municipality in the far north of the Free State province of South Africa. Sasolburg is further sub-divided into three areas: Sasolburg proper, Vaalpark (a more affluent cluster o ...

Heilbron Heilbron is a small farming town in the Free State (South African province), Free State province of South Africa which services the cattle, dairy, sorghum, sunflower and maize industries. Raw stock beneficiation occurs in leisure foods, dairy ...

and Reitz.

Route

Gauteng

The R57 begins at an intersection with the N1 Kroonvaal Toll Highway (East Southbound only) north-west of

. It begins by running south-south-east. After 5 kilometres, the R57 meets the R553 ''Golden Highway'' from

Sebokeng Sebokeng () locally called Zweni by residents, is a middle-class township in the Emfuleni Local Municipality in southern Gauteng, South Africa near the industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging. Other neighboring townships include Evaton ...

, which marks its entrance into Vanderbijlpark. The R57 takes over the name ''Golden Highway'' from this junction southwards and makes up the border between the Muvhango Township & Vanderbijlpark Central. From the R553 intersection, the R57 continues south-south-east for 4 kilometres to meet the R42 Road (Barrage Road) adjacent to Vaal Mall at a major junction. After this intersection, the R57 becomes a highway (dual carriageway; flying over roads with off-ramps at certain junctions) and continues southwards for 4 kilometres, through the south-western suburbs of Vanderbijlpark, 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. ...

into the

Free State province The Free State, known as Orange Free State until the 28th of June 1995 when its name was changed, is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Boer ...

Free State

From the Vaal River crossing, it continues for another 3 kilometres, bypassing the Vaalpark suburb, to meet the R59 Sybrand van Niekerk Freeway at a major interchange north of Sasolburg Central. From the R59 interchange, the R57 continues south-east as a highway (with off-ramps) for 9 kilometres, bypassing

Sasolburg Sasolburg is a large industrial city within the Metsimaholo Local Municipality in the far north of the Free State province of South Africa. Sasolburg is further sub-divided into three areas: Sasolburg proper, Vaalpark (a more affluent cluster o ...

Central and the Zamdela suburb, up to its junction with the R82 Road from

Vereeniging Vereeniging () is a town located in the south of Gauteng province, South Africa, situated where the Klip River empties into the northern loop of the Vaal River. It is also one of the constituent parts of the Vaal Triangle region and was formerly si ...

Gauteng Gauteng ( ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana languages means 'place of gold'. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only ...

in the suburb of Coalbrook. It continues for another 3 kilometres south-east to meet a road to

Deneysville Deneysville is a small town on the banks of the Vaal Dam in the Free State province of South Africa. History Deneysville was established in 1936 and named after Deneys Reitz, writer of ''Commando: A Boer Journal of the Boer War'' and son of f ...

(

Vaal Dam The Vaal Dam in South Africa was constructed in 1938 and lies 77 km south of OR Tambo International Airport. The lake behind the dam wall has a surface area of about and is 47 meters deep. The Vaal Dam lies on the Vaal River, which is one ...

) (connecting to the R549 and R716 roads). From the junction with the road to Deneysville, the R57 continues southwards for 47 kilometres to the town of

. It bypasses Heilbron Central to the west before meeting the R34 Road. The R57 and the R34 are cosigned eastwards for 3 kilometres, meeting the southern terminus of the R723 Route and the northern terminus of the R725 Route, before the R57 becomes its own road southwards just south of Heilbron Central. From the R34 junction, the R57 continues south-south-east for 44 kilometres to the town of

Petrus Steyn Petrus Steyn, is a small farming town between Tweeling and Kroonstad, 35 km north-east of Lindley in the Free State province of South Africa. It is at the centre of an agricultural area known for wheat, maize, sunflower, potato, cattle, ...

, where it meets the R707 Route at a staggered junction east of the town centre. The R57 continues east-south-east for 33 kilometres to the town of Reitz. 3 kilometres before the Reitz City Centre, the R57 meets the R26 Road from Frankfort. After entering Reitz as Sarel Cilliers Street, the R57 continues by a left turn at Voortrekker Street and returns to facing southwards at the junction after 1st Street. From Reitz, the R57 continues south-south-east for 38 kilometres to reach a junction with the R714 Route. The road continues for another 29 kilometres, through Afrikaskop, to 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 ...

, where it meets the N5 Highway. It bypasses the town to the east and proceeds southwards for 24 kilometres to meet the R712 Road (accessed by an off-ramp) next to the

University of the Free State The University of the Free State is a multi-campus public university in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State (province), Free State and the judicial capital of South Africa. It was first established as an institution of higher learning in ...

Qwaqwa Campus, marking its entrance into

Phuthaditjhaba Phuthaditjhaba (formerly Witsieshoek or Qwaqwa) is a town in the Free State province of South Africa. Phuthaditjhaba is a seSotho name that means ''meeting place of the tribes''. It is located on the banks of the Elands River.Routes Travel Info
{{DEFAULTSORT:R57 Road (South Africa) 57 57 Provincial routes in South Africa Highways in South Africa