N9 (South Africa)

The N9 is a national route in South Africa that connects George with the N1 at Colesberg, via Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg.[1]

National route N9
Route information
Maintained by SANRAL
Length517 km (321 mi)
Major junctions
Southwest end N2 near George
  N12 near George
N10 near Middelburg
Northeast end N1 at Colesberg
Location
Major citiesGeorge
Graaff-Reinet
Middelburg
Colesberg
Highway system
Numbered routes of South Africa
← N8N10 →

Route

The N9 begins just south-east of George at an intersection with the N2. It runs concurrently with the N12 through the center of George and then north over the Outeniqua Pass. At the top of the pass, at the intersection with the R62, the N9 and N12 split, with the N12 being cosigned with the R62 northwards towards Oudtshoorn while the N9 turns east, cosigned with the R62, to run along the northern side of the Outeniqua Mountains and over Potjiesberg Pass.

After 71 kilometres, the N9 and the R62 split, with the R62 becoming its own road eastwards while the N9 turns northwards and enters the town of Uniondale, before proceeding onwards to Willowmore in the Eastern Cape.

From Willowmore, the N9 travels across the Eastern Cape Karoo through Aberdeen to Graaf-Reinet. At Aberdeen, the N9 is joined by the R61 and they are concurrent through Graaf-Reinet (where they meet the R63) and for the next 46 kilometers before the R61 becomes its own road eastwards.

From Graaf-Reinet it crosses the Sneeuberge through Naudesberg Pass and Lootsberg Pass to Middelburg, where it meets the N10. The N9 and N10 are concurrent northwards out of Middelburg, but after a short distance (24 kilometers) the N10 turns north-west towards De Aar. The N9 continues northwards through Noupoort to end at an intersection with the N1 just outside Colesberg.

Uniondale Ghost

An urban legend in the "vanishing hitchiker" tradition arose after a girl named Marie Charlotte Roux was killed in an auto accident not far from Uniondale on Easter Sunday of 1968. According to press reports, beginning in 1973 and for years afterward around the anniversary of her death, the girl's spirit hitchhiked along the road and allegedly vanished after being picked up by various drivers. Folklorist Sigrid Schmidt wrote that coverage of the popular tale by the South African press helped spread the Uniondale legend nationwide.[2]

See also
  • R306 (Eastern Cape) connecting road

References
  1. Falkner, John (May 2012). South African Numbered Route Description and Destination Analysis (Report). National Department of Transport. p. 23. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  2. Jan Harold Brunvand (26 November 2002). Encyclopedia of urban legends. W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 402–. ISBN 978-0-393-32358-0. Retrieved 5 April 2011.

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