R56 (South Africa)

Provincial route R56 shield
Provincial route R56
Route information
Maintained by ECDRPW and KZNDT
Length576 km (358 mi)
Major junctions
West end N9 / N10 in Middelburg
Major intersections N6 between Molteno and Dordrecht
R58 in Khowa
N2 near Kokstad
N2 near Harding
East end N3 in Pietermaritzburg
Location
CountrySouth Africa
Major citiesMiddelburg, Steynsburg, Molteno, Dordrecht, Indwe, Khowa, Ugie, Maclear, Mount Fletcher, Matatiele, Kokstad, Ixopo, Richmond, Pietermaritzburg
Highway system
R55 R57
R56 between Steynsburg and Molteno in the Eastern Cape

The R56 is a provincial route in South Africa that connects Middelburg with Pietermaritzburg via Molteno, Maclear and Kokstad. It is co-signed with the N2 between Kokstad and Stafford's Post for 39 kilometres.[1]

The R56 is known for being part of the shortest route between Cape Town in the Western Cape and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. There are 12 main towns on the R56, namely Middelburg Karoo, Steynsburg, Molteno, Dordrecht, Khowa, Ugie, Maclear, Matatiele, Kokstad, Ixopo, Richmond and Pietermaritzburg.[2]

  1. ^ Falkner, John (May 2012). South African Numbered Route Description and Destination Analysis (Report). National Department of Transport. p. 60. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  2. ^ "RDDA SOUTH AFRICAN NUMBERED ROUTE DESCRIPTION AND DESTINATION ANALYSIS". NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT. May 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2021.