R544 (South Africa)

Regional route R544
Route information
Maintained by SANRAL
Length	148 km (92 mi)
Major junctions
South end	R35 near Bethal
Major intersections	R547 near Thubelihle R542 R575 N12 near Witbank N4 / R555 near Witbank R25 near Verena
North end	R573 near Thembisile, Mpumalanga
Location
Country	South Africa
Major cities	Bethal, Witbank
Highway system
Numbered routes of South Africa
← R543 → R545

The R544 is a Regional Route in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It connects Bethal with Witbank (eMalahleni) and Verena and ends north of Thembisile.

Route

Its begins at an intersection with the R35 north of Bethal, going north-west. It then intersects at a four-way intersection with the R547 north-east of Kriel. The two routes exchange roads, with the R547 becoming the north-westerly road and the R544 becoming the north-easterly road.

The R544 heads northwards to cross the Olifants River before it intersects with the western terminus of the R542. It continues to intersect with the western terminus of the R575 and crosses the Olifants River one more time. It continues to cross under the N12 Highway and heads into the southern suburbs of Witbank (eMalahleni) as Watermeyer Street. It then proceeds to meet the N4 Highway (Maputo Corridor) as OR Tambo Road.

It joins the N4 Highway westwards for 3 kilometres up to the next off-ramp, where the R544 becomes co-signed with the intersecting R555 (Walter Sisulu Drive) northwards. At the Witbank Long-Distance Taxi Rank, the R555 becomes its own road north-east, leaving the R544 as the road northwards. The road leaves Witbank in a north-westerly direction as Carmen Street before heading north and eventually crossing the Wilge River. Then heading north-west, it crosses the R25 at the town of Verena. The road's northern terminus is reached as it ends at a junction with the R573 between KwaMhlanga and Siyabuswa in Mpumalanga.