The R38 is a provincial route in South Africa that connects Standerton with Kaapmuiden via Bethal, Carolina and Barberton.

At the sixth junction afterwards, just after crossing the Blesbokspruit, the R35 and R38 leave Moses Kotane Street (which remains designated as the N17) and become the road eastwards.

The R38 leaves the town in an easterly direction and goes for 38 kilometres, crossing the Klein Olifants River and the Vaalwaterspruit, to reach a T-junction with the R36 road just west of the Boesmanspruitdam.

From Carolina, the R38 heads east-north-east as the Bothasnek Pass for 50 kilometres to Badplaas, where it is joined by the R541 route and crosses the Seekoeispruit.

The R38 goes north-east for 49 kilometres, bypasses the Mountainlands Nature Reserve, following the Kaap River, up to Kaapmuiden (south of Matsulu), where it ends at a T-junction with the N4 national route (Maputo Corridor).