It heads south-east, bypassing the Glen Marais suburb, before crossing the R21 freeway (Pretoria-Boksburg Highway) as High Road.

It then crosses the M32 metropolitan route and becomes the road separating the Pomona and Bredell suburbs, before leaving Kempton Park and entering Benoni.

The first suburb it passes through is Brentwood Park, where it joins the M45 metropolitan route by way of a left turn onto Great North Road.

Soon after, it becomes Heidelberg Road, bypassing Brakpan (co-signed with the M56 metropolitan route for a few metres), and crosses the N17 toll highway at Dalpark, next to where Carnival City is located.

Just after crossing the Vaal River, in the suburb of Meyerville, the R546 becomes its own road southwards at the George Street junction while the R23 resumes south-east.