R24 (South Africa)

Last updated

SA road R24.svg
Provincial route R24
Map of the R24 (South Africa).svg
Route information
Maintained by SANRAL and GDRT, Johannesburg Roads Agency
Length139 km (86 mi)
Major junctions
West endSA road R104.svg R104 in Rustenburg
Major intersectionsSA road N4 jct.svg N4 near Rustenburg
SA road R30.svg R30 at Olifantsnek
SA road N14 jct.svg N14 near Krugersdorp
SA road R28.svg R28 in Krugersdorp
SA road N1 jct.svg N1 in Roodepoort
SA road R41.svg R41 in Johannesburg
SA road N3 jct.svgSA road N12 jct.svg N3  / N12 in Bedfordview
East endSA road R21.svg R21 at OR Tambo Int'l
Location
Country South Africa
Major cities
Highway system
← SA road R23.svg R23 → SA road R25.svg R25

The R24 is a major East-West provincial route in the Gauteng and North West provinces that links OR Tambo International Airport with Rustenburg via Johannesburg, Krugersdorp and Magaliesburg. [1] The process of renaming the streets and freeway that form the route from Krugersdorp eastward to OR Tambo International after anti-apartheid stalwart Albertina Sisulu was completed in 2013. [2] [3]

Contents

Heading east, after passing through Central Johannesburg and some of Johannesburg's eastern suburbs (a section maintained by the Johannesburg Roads Agency, a department of the City of Johannesburg), the route becomes a freeway outside Eastgate Shopping Centre in Bedfordview, a section which is maintained by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, part of the Gauteng Provincial Government. This freeway section of the route intersects with the N3 and the N12 at George Bizos Interchange. There are offramps that lead to Edenvale, and parts of Kempton Park, before the road ends in the vicinity of OR Tambo International Airport, at the R21 leading to Pretoria and Boksburg.

Route

Gauteng

The R24 begins at Johannesburg International Airport (OR Tambo International Airport) in the East Rand (Ekurhuleni), Gauteng.

It heads west as a freeway, beginning with an interchange with the R21 (Pretoria-Boksburg Highway), then heads west-south-west through the southern edge of Kempton Park (where it has a junction at Lazarus Mawela Road, formerly Barbara Road – M59) and Edenvale (where it has a junction at Lungile Mtshali Road, formerly Van Riebeeck Road/Edenvale Road – M37).

In Bedfordview (just after the Edenvale off-ramp), the R24 joins the N12 freeway from Mpumalanga westwards towards Johannesburg for almost 2 km to reach the George Bizos Interchange (previously Gillooly's Interchange [4] ) with the N3 highway, where the N12 leaves the westerly highway and joins the N3 Eastern Bypass southwards on the Johannesburg Ring Road, leaving the R24 as the straight road west into Johannesburg. Just after the interchange with the N3 & N12, it passes north of the Eastgate Shopping Centre and leaves the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to enter the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Here, the R24 stops being a freeway.

It passes through some of Johannesburg's eastern suburbs in a south-westerly direction, including Bruma, Kensington and Troyeville, before entering the Johannesburg CBD and becoming two one-way streets (one going east as Albertina Sisulu Road, formerly Market Street, and the other west as Commissioner Street). The Carlton Centre, the second tallest building in Africa (the tallest office building in Africa), is located on Commissioner Street. Just before crossing under Johannesburg's M1 freeway at the suburb of Ferreirasdorp (south of Newtown), it intersects with the eastern terminus of the R41 road (Main Reef Road) and becomes one street westwards (no longer one-way streets). The R41 route is an alternative route to the R24 route as they both go west to Roodepoort.

Next, the R24 runs west to Roodepoort. It passes through the Fordsburg, Mayfair, Mayfair West, Langlaagte North, Crosby, Industria (where it continues by a left & right turn) and Bosmont suburbs before it crosses the N1 highway (Johannesburg Western Bypass) at the Maraisburg junction and enters Roodepoort. After passing through the Maraisburg and Florida suburbs, the R24 runs in a northwesterly direction through the former CBD of Roodepoort. After bypassing Westgate Shopping Centre, the R24 leaves the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and enters Krugersdorp in the Mogale City Local Municipality.

Through Krugersdorp, it first passes by Factoria before passing through the southern end of Krugersdorp CBD, where it intersects with the R28 route. After Krugersdorp West, the R24 makes up the southern border of the Krugersdorp Game Reserve. It then heads north-west, crossing the N14 national route at Tarlton and continuing towards Magaliesburg, which is a holiday and weekend destination for people of Johannesburg and Pretoria. On this section, just after the N14 junction, it passes by the Tarlton International Raceway. It forms the main road through Magaliesburg, meeting the eastern terminus of the R509 route in the town before meeting the south-western terminus of the R560 route north of the town.

The R24 forms the main road through Magaliesburg South Africa-Magaliesburg-R24-001.jpg
The R24 forms the main road through Magaliesburg

North West

After Magaliesburg in the Mogale City Local Municipality, the R24 leaves Gauteng and enters the North West Province in a northwesterly direction. It heads for Olifantsnek, where it meets the northern end of the R30 route and bypasses the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve and the Olifantsnek Dam. After the Kgaswane Reserve, it crosses the N4 highway (Platinum Highway) and enters the City of Rustenburg adjacent to the Waterfall Mall. It meets the R104 (Fatima Bhayat Street) just after crossing the Platinum Highway and proceeds for another 1 kilometre north-north-east to end at a t-junction just west of the Hex River. The entire section of the R24 in North-West Province was regarded as a national road in September 2012 and is now maintained by SANRAL. [5] [6]

Geography

Street name

By October 2013, every street and freeway that makes up R24 from OR Tambo International Airport, Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, through Johannesburg and Roodepoort, to Krugersdorp was officially named after Albertina Sisulu, [7] [2] [3] with the only exceptions being in some one-way-street sections of the route. In Johannesburg CBD, the street for vehicles going westwards is named Commissioner Street (while the parallel street going the other direction is still named Albertina Sisulu Road). In the Maraisburg suburb of Roodepoort, the street for vehicles going eastwards is named 9th Street (while the parallel street going the other direction is still named Albertina Sisulu Road). In the former CBD of Roodepoort, the street for vehicles going westwards is named Oliver Street (while the parallel street going the other direction is still named Albertina Sisulu Road).

There were plans to rename Commissioner Street to Albertina Sisulu Road [8] and the family of Sisulu welcomed this proposal [9] but as of 2019, the change has not taken place.

The use of the street name "Albertina Sisulu Road" ends in Krugersdorp East (just after leaving Roodepoort), at the junction with Coronation Street. From there, through Krugersdorp CBD, it is known as Luipaard Street. After Krugersdorp CBD, it is known as Rustenburg Road for the remainder of its length, from Krugersdorp, through Magaliesburg, up to Olifantsnek Dam, where it enters Rustenburg.

As the R24 is known as the Albertina Sisulu Freeway in Ekurhuleni between Eastgate Shopping Centre and OR Tambo International Airport, the use of the name doesn't end there. The R21 freeway is also called the Albertina Sisulu Freeway, particularly the section from its OR Tambo International Airport interchange with the R24 north to the Flying Saucer Interchange with the N1 southeast of Pretoria in City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. [10] [11] [12] Together, the R24 & R21 make up the only other "highway system" after the Ben Schoeman Highway that connects Pretoria and Johannesburg.

The R21 freeway, together with the freeway section of the R24, was already named the Albertina Sisulu Freeway by the time of the 2010 FIFA World Cup [10] [11] while the remainder of the R24 to Krugersdorp was renamed in 2013. [7] [2] [3]

History

e-tolls

Part of the N12 freeway in the Gauteng province was declared an e-toll highway (with open road tolling) from 3 December 2013 onwards, [13] including the 2 km section in Bedfordview where it is co-signed with the R24. [14] As a result, the westward side of the co-signed section had an e-toll gantry installed just before the George Bizos Interchange with the N3 and motorists would be billed for driving on that section on the route. [14]

Many motorists complained of the Loerie e-toll being positioned on the R24, as they believed that the R24 was meant to be a toll-free route for its entire length in which nobody would be charged for transporting from Johannesburg International Airport (OR Tambo International Airport) in Kempton Park to Johannesburg Central. [15] As the R24 in Gauteng is not a route maintained by SANRAL and was not indicated as a toll road, motorists and companies wondered why motorists were being charged for being on a National Road for only 2 km on the route from Johannesburg's Airport to Johannesburg's city centre. [14] SANRAL then changed the signs on both highways connected (N12 and R24) so as for them to indicate that there is an e-toll ahead when travelling westwards to the N3 interchange (every lane on the N12 and R24 west cosigned section passed through the gantry). [14]

The South African government announced on 28 March 2024 [16] that e-tolls in Gauteng would officially be shut down on 11 April 2024 at midnight. [17] [18] As a result of the e-toll discontinuation, all the e-toll gantries, including the Loerie e-toll on the N12 and R24 co-signed section, would no-longer operate. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albertina Sisulu</span> South African anti-apartheid activist (1918–2011)

Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu OMSG was a South African anti-apartheid activist, and the wife of fellow activist Walter Sisulu (1912–2003). She was affectionately known as "Ma Sisulu" throughout her lifetime by the South African public. In 2004 she was voted 57th in the SABC3's Great South Africans. She died on 2 June 2011 in her home in Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa, aged 92.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">N1 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kempton Park, South Africa</span> Place in Gauteng, South Africa Postal address 1619

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedfordview</span> Place in Gauteng, South Africa

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">R21 (South Africa)</span> Road in South Africa

The R21 is a major north–south provincial route in eastern Gauteng Province, South Africa. Built in the early 1970s, it remains one of two freeways linking Pretoria with Johannesburg, via the R24. As the eastern of the two freeways, it links the Pretoria city centre with OR Tambo International Airport and Boksburg. Between the Solomon Mahlangu Drive on-ramp in Monument Park, Pretoria, and the N12 interchange in Boksburg, the R21 is an 8 lane highway and motorway (freeway), with 4 lanes in each direction. It has off-ramps leading to Irene, Olifantsfontein, Benoni, and Kempton Park. The route intersects the N1 highway near Centurion, the R24 near the airport, the N12 and N17 in Boksburg, and the N3 near Vosloorus on the East Rand, where it ends. The section from the N12 to the N3 is not a freeway. The R21 is also designated as the P157.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R28 (South Africa)</span>

The R28 is a provincial route in Gauteng, South Africa that connects Krugersdorp with Vereeniging via Randfontein. The R28 used to connect with Pretoria, but that section of the road is now part of the N14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R41 (South Africa)</span> Road in South Africa

The R41 is a provincial route in Gauteng, South Africa, that connects Johannesburg with Randfontein via Roodepoort.

The R103 is a Regional Route in South Africa that is the designation for some of the old sections of roads that were previously the N3, prior to upgrading. It only has 3 sections, from Hillcrest to Ladysmith, from Warden to Villiers and from Heidelberg to Johannesburg.

The M2 is a major highway and metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. It is named the Francois Oberholzer Freeway. It runs just to the south of the Johannesburg Central Business District eastwards where it connects with the N3 and enters Germiston, ending near its CBD. The north–south M1 intersects with the M2 just to the south-west of the Johannesburg CBD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N12 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N12 is a national route in South Africa which runs from George through Beaufort West, Kimberley, Klerksdorp and Johannesburg to eMalahleni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N14 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N14 is a national route in South Africa which runs from Springbok in the Northern Cape to Pretoria in Gauteng. It passes through Upington, Kuruman, Vryburg, Krugersdorp and Centurion. The section between Pretoria and Krugersdorp is maintained by the Gauteng Provincial government and is also designated the P158.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N17 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N17 is a national route in South Africa which runs from Johannesburg to Oshoek (Ngwenya) on the border with Eswatini. It passes through Springs, Bethal and Ermelo.

The M57 is a major metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. A north/south route, it connects Germiston with the south-eastern suburbs of Pretoria via Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein. For most of its length, it is an alternative route to the R21 freeway.

The M37 is a metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. It connects the N3 at Greenstone Shopping Mall with Katlehong via Edenvale and Germiston.

The M40 is a metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa that connects Sandton with Bedfordview via Wynberg, Kew, Lyndhurst and Senderwood.

The M99 is a short metropolitan route in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa. For its entire route, it parallels the R24 highway in the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

References

  1. ↑ "RDDA SOUTH AFRICAN NUMBERED ROUTE DESCRIPTION AND DESTINATION ANALYSIS". NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT. May 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Cox, Anna. "Ma Sisulu's name to be on 18 Joburg streets". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Erlank, Natasha (2017). "From Main Reef to Albertina Sisulu Road: The Signposted Heroine and the Politics of Memory". The Public Historian. 39 (2): 31–50. ISSN   0272-3433.
  4. ↑ "Here are the streets affected by Ekurhuleni's new name changes". The Citizen. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. ↑ http://www.nra.co.za/live/content.php?Session_ID=2de9d6f0c7c27c5981d80b19d4b7c935&Item_ID=4680 [ dead link ]
  6. ↑ https://www.nra.co.za/live/content.php?Session_ID=ac9f92a91946bc305c576c64415742f1&Item_ID=4877 [ dead link ]
  7. 1 2 "Gauteng to rename R21/R24 road to Albertina Sisulu Drive, 30 Aug | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "More sports facilities planned". joburg.org.za. Archived from the original on 7 February 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Sisulu family pleased with renaming". thenewage.co.za. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  10. 1 2 "allAfrica.com: South Africa: R21/24 Renamed Albertina Sisulu Freeway (Page 1 of 1)". Archived from the original on 31 August 2007.
  11. 1 2 "R21 renamed Albertina Sisulu". News24. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "The Albertina Sisulu (R21) expressway : Ekurhuleni". IMIESA. 36 (10). January 2011 – via Sabinet.
  13. ↑ "E-tolls going live in Gauteng". fin24.com. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Untolled misery on road from airport". iol.co.za. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "Latest Breaking News news, breaking stories and comment".
  16. ↑ Fraser, Luke (28 March 2024). "E-tolls to officially end next month". BusinessTech. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  17. ↑ South African Government ends e-tolls in Gauteng press release published 28th of March 2024, retrieved and archived 5th of April 2024
  18. 1 2 Njilo, Nonkululeko (10 April 2024). "Gauteng set to finally end e-tolls, overdue fees remain". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
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