Summary The road starts in
George in the
Western Cape and ends in
eMalahleni in
Mpumalanga. The road runs roughly from south to north, however, once it passes
Kimberley in the
Northern Cape, it gradually turns eastward. Only the section between
Soweto and
eMalahleni is a limited access dual motorway. The section between
Klerksdorp and
Potchefstroom is a dual carriage highway. The N12 remains the only National Route other than the
N1 that links
Beaufort West with
Johannesburg.
Western Cape The N12 route begins south-east of the town centre of
George at an intersection with the
N2. From this junction, it runs
concurrently with the
N9. It goes north-west, through the centre of George. Near Mont Fleur Mountain Estate, the N12/N9 turns northwards, passing through the western area of the Witfontein Nature Reserve as the
Outeniqua Pass. The N3 and N12 are co-signed as one freeway northwards, passing in-between
Johannesburg and
Germiston (Capital of
Ekurhuleni) and intersecting with the
M2 freeway at the Geldenhuys Interchange, where the M2 provides access to Germiston Central in the east and
Johannesburg Central in the west.) in
Bedfordview, east of the
Eastgate Shopping Centre. At this interchange, the N12 leaves the
Eastern Bypass portion of the
Johannesburg Ring Road (which remains designated as the N3 northwards) and joins the
R24 Airport Freeway eastwards. The N12 is cosigned with the R24 for 2 kilometers. Just before the Lungile Mtshali Road (
M37) off-ramp, the R24 and the N12 split, with the R24 becoming its own east-north-east freeway (the Albertina Sisulu Freeway) towards
O. R. Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg International Airport) and the N12 remaining as the eastwards highway towards
Benoni and
Witbank. The N12 continues through the
City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, passing through the northern parts of
Germiston and
Boksburg. In Boksburg, the N12 meets the
R21 freeway from
Pretoria and O. R. Tambo International Airport in the north (providing access to Boksburg Central in the south). It continues east as the road separating
Benoni Central from Benoni's northern suburbs (where it meets the
R23 just north of the town centre). It continues eastwards, bypassing
Daveyton (where it meets the
R51) and
Etwatwa, to leave the
City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and enter the
Mpumalanga Province.
Mpumalanga In
Mpumalanga, the N12 continues as a dual carriageway freeway and the first town it bypasses is the town of
Delmas. From the
R50 Delmas exit, the N12 goes for another 60 km east, meeting the
R42 and bypassing
Ogies, to enter
eMalahleni (Witbank), where it passes through the southern suburbs. The N12 marks its end at the point where it merges with the
N4 highway (
Maputo Corridor) (eastbound only) in the eastern part of Witbank. == History ==