The M5 begins in the southern suburbs of Johannesburg at an intersection with Rifle Range Road in Ridgeway. As it heads northwards as Nasrec Road, it bypasses the industrial suburb of Aeroton before passing the Nasrec showground. It passes the FNB Stadium to the west and the Crown Mines Golf Club to the east. Continuing northwards it passes under the Soweto Highway, passing through old gold mining tailings, before reaching a roundabout with a road that's meant to be an extension of the N17 south of Riverlea. The road continues northwards as the Nasrec Road through the suburb of Riverlea and passes the George Harrison Park, commemorating the place of the first gold discovery on the Witwatersrand in 1886. Passing under Main Reef Road, the M5 becomes Marais Street and Du Toit Avenue in Paarlshoop. Ending briefly at the intersection of Albertina Sisulu Road in Langlaagte North, it cosigns with the R24 Albertina Sisulu Road eastwards and turns north again at St Jerome Avenue, becoming Mercury Street. Turning right into High Street then left into Ditton Avenue in Brixton, the M5 passes the University of Johannesburg. Crossing Kingsway Avenue At Auckland Park, it becomes Main Road, entering the suburb of Melville. The road becomes Beyers Naudé Drive, originally called DF Malan Drive, and passes through a gorge between the eastern & western sections of the Melville Koppies, high ground with views to the northern and southern suburbs of Johannesburg, and the Koppies hold the archaeological record of the original black inhabitants of the Witwatersrand. Leaving the gorge, the road passes West Park Cemetery on its left and Johannesburg Botanical Garden on its right. It continues north-west through the old suburbs of Randburg like Northcliff, Linden and Cresta. After passing the Cresta Shopping Centre on its right, it intersects and passes under the N1 Western Bypass a few kilometres later. Continuing north-west through Randpark Ridge it crosses over the M6 and after 4km it intersects with Christian De Wet Road and Northumberland Avenue together part of the R564. Passing through Honeydew, the suburb thins as it becomes a set of agricultural holdings but continues north-west as Beyers Naudé Drive and intersects the R114 at a staggered junction near Muldersdrift and shortly thereafter the N14 Pretoria-Krugersdorp freeway. Passing over the freeway it continues north-east now through more agricultural holdings before ending at its northern terminus as a t-junction with the western R540 Road after crossing the Crocodile River.
