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The Municipality of Hermanus was constituted on 9 September 1904 in terms of Proclamation No 298 under provision of the Municipal Act of 1882 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 8686 of 23 September 1904).

In terms of the Local Government Transition Act, 1993 (Act 209 of 1993) the local government bodies within the Hermanus Forum Area, namely the Municipality of Hermanus, Onrus River Municipality, Mount Pleasant Management Committee, Zwelihle Town Council, Sandbaai Local Council, Vermont Local Council and Hawston Management Committee was dissolved with effect from 1 December 1994 and the Greater Hermanus Transitional Local Council established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 4896, 30 November 1994, Proclamation No 71, 29 November 1994).

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Greater Hermanus Transitional Local Council together with other municipalities was disestablished and the Overstrand Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5591, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 492, 22 September 2000). The Overstrand Local Municipality forms part of the larger Overberg District Municipality.

According to a declaration and a letter signed by the Town Clerk, Hermanus dated 23 October 1986 and 17 December 1984 respectively, the majority of archives have not remained preserved.

The Municipality of Seymour was constituted on 14 August 1862 under provision of Proclamation No 50 of 1862 in terms of Ordinance No 9 of 1836.

In 1994 Seymour became part of the Eastern Cape Province. It forms part of the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, one of six local municipalities that falls under the Amathole District Municipality.

The Divisional Council of King William’s Town was established on 22 February 1866 under Ordinance No 2 of 1866 (British Kaffraria Government Gazette, 22 February 1866). The first meeting of the Council was held on 25 May 1866.

On 1 January 1975 the Divisional Council of King William’s Town was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Komga, Stutterheim and East London to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Kaffraria (Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3796 dated 6 September 1974, Proclamation No 298 dated 30 Augustus 1974).

The District of Carnarvon was constituted a Division together with Fraserburg and Victoria West for fiscal purposes in terms of Proclamation No 6 of 1880 dated 1 January 1880. Proclamation No 115 of 1881 dated 1 August 1881 constituted Carnarvon a separate Divisional Council (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette dated 2 January 1880 and 2 August 1881).

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Carnarvon was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Williston to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Kareeberg (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

The Council of Supervisors, Bethelsdorp was created on 16 May 1878 in terms of Government Notice No 410 of 1878 under provision of Act No 12 of 1873 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 5803, 21 May 1878).

The Local Board of Bethelsdorp was constituted on 5 April 1922 under provision of Proclamation No 74 of 1922 in terms of Ordinance No 11 of 1921. The board was abolished on 16 May 1945 when the Local Area of Bethelsdorp was created under the jurisdiction of the Divisional Council of Port Elizabeth (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 2166, 25 May 1945). For archives relating to the Local Area see inventory of the Secretary, Divisional Council, Port Elizabeth (No 3/14).

The Divisional Council of the Cape was established on 9 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855. In terms of Act No 33 of 1909 it was renamed the Rural Council of the Cape Division. In terms of Ordinance No 13 of 1917 it resumed the name of Divisional Council of the Cape.

The Regional Services Council for the Cape Metropole and surrounding areas covering the Divisional Council areas of the Cape, Stellenbosch and Paarl was established in terms of section 3(1)(a) of the Regional Services Council Act, 1985 (Act No 109 of 1985) with effect from 9 January 1987 (Official Gazette of the Province of the Cape of Good Hope, No 4460, 9 January 1987, Provincial Notice No 4 of 9 January 1987). The Divisional Councils of the Cape, Paarl and Stellenbosch were abolished as from 30 June 1987 and the functions taken over by the Western Cape Regional Services Council as from that date (4/WCR, Minutes of the Council, Chairman’s welcoming address, 25 June 1987).

The Divisional Council of Vaalharts was constituted on 1 July 1960 in terms of Proclamation No 36 of 12 March 1960 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3018, 18 March 1960).

On 1 July 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Hay, Vaalharts and Vaalrivier were reconstituted together as the Diamantveld Regional Services Council (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 341 of 31 March 1989).

The Divisional Council of Swellendam was proclaimed on 16 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855. According to the requirements of this act, the division of Swellendam was divided into six districts:
(1) Swellendam Upper Duivenhoks River, Lower Duivenhoks River, Breede River;
(2) Before Cogmanskloof, behind Cogmanskloof, Tradouw, Klipriver;
(3) Bosjesveld, Onder River Zonder End, Kluytjes Kraal, Potteberg;
(4) Riversdale, Vette River, Krombeks River, Over Duivenhoks River;
(5) Valsch River, Kaffirkuils River, Buffels, Fonteyns Valley;
(6) Great Zwartberg, Spring Fonteyn, Langeberg

The first election of members took place on 18 September 1855 at the residences of the field cornets of the proclaimed districts. By the terms of the act, one member was elected for each district.

Since the establishment of the Divisional Council of Swellendam the boundaries have been altered on several occasions, such as 1858 (in terms of Act No 12 of 1857);(4) 1860; 1872; etc.

In 1893 the Divisional Council was proclaimed the “Local Authority” for the division of Swellendam.

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Swellendam was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Bredasdorp to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Bredasdorp-Swellendam.

Although the Divisional Council was proclaimed in 1855, the oldest archives only date back to 1862. This apparently, can be attributed to the large scale weeding and destruction of archives by officials of the Divisional Council in 1944. A few archives of great research value, such as a minute book covering the period February 1862 – June 1877 and a map of the Tradouw Pass drawn by Thomas Bain in 1867, were, however, donated to the Drostdy Museum at Swellendam. Through the kind co-operation of the curatrix of the museum all the archives in their possession were eventually transferred to this archives repository.

The Divisional Council of Bredasdorp was established on 8 November 1858 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855.

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Bredasdorp was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Swellendam to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Bredasdorp-Swellendam (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 dated 18 July 1979).

After the conclusion of the Northern Border War in 1880, provision was made for the occupation of the area north of the Orange River by Bastard farmers to prevent the re-occupation thereof by Korannas. A special magistrate was appointed with general jurisdiction south of the border and as Special Commissioner with specified duties relating to the administration north of the river. He was to reside at Olievenhout’s Drift Station and hold a periodical court at Kenhardt, while assuring, with the help of the Mounted Police, that peace was maintained along the river. The Bastards, while subjects of the Queen, were responsible for their own defence and while the Commissioner could administer justice among them if they desired it, they were largely to provide for their own law and order by appointing field-cornets.

North of the river a committee or board of management was elected by the inhabitants, with the Special Commissioner as chairman, to administer the law and order of the territory north of the Orange River up to the southern dunes of the Kalahari, known as Gordonia. The laws of the colony were largely taken over and the Special Commissioner moved from Kenhardt to the village of Upington situated on the northern bank of the river opposite the Olievenhout’s Drift. He still possessed no legal jurisdiction in the area.

On the annexation of the district of Gordonia to the British Bechuanaland Protectorate on 1 April 1889, the administration of the committee of management ceased and a magisterial district under a Resident Magistrate and Civil commissioner was created. The area of jurisdiction of the Resident Magistrate was defined within specified limits.

In October 1895 British Bechuanaland was annexed to the Colony and the Gordonia district became part of the Colony. The new boundaries of the magisterial district and fiscal division of Gordonia were laid down in April 1896.

In 1904 a periodical court was established at Keimoes in the district of Gordonia and in 1955 a separate magistrate’s court was established there.

After the redefinition of the boundaries of the magisterial districts of Kenhardt and Gordonia in 1933, the periodical courts at Kakamas, established in 1904(9) and at Louisvale, established in 1925, which were previously situated in the district of Kenhardt, were transferred to the jurisdiction of the magisterial district of Gordonia.

A periodical court, with jurisdiction within specified limits, was established at Groblershoop (Sternham) in the district of Gordonia in 1939.

A court of an Assistant Resident Magistrate was established at Rietfontein in the Gordonia district and the local limits of jurisdiction defined in 1906. The documents of this office have, for practical purposes, been retained with the archives of the Magistrate, Gordonia.

Functions of the Resident Magistrate
Judicial Functions:

The jurisdiction exercised by the Magistrate of Upington was derived from Act No 20 of 1856. He possessed criminal and civil jurisdiction and performed miscellaneous quasi- and non-judicial functions. This magisterial jurisdiction was amended by various subsequent statutes, both of the Cape Colony and of the Union.

Quasi-Judicial Functions:
According to the “Inquest Act”, 1875 the Resident Magistrate was to act as coroner at inquests … “to cases occurring at or within a distance of 6 miles from the seat of his magistracy”.

Ex-Officio Functions:

As reflected in the records the Resident Magistrate acted as Chairman of the Liquor Licensing Court(16) and also performed duties as the Marriage Officer.

Administrative Functions:

The Resident Magistrate acted as Civil Commissioner for his district and in that capacity he was responsible for the application of various laws concerning financial and land matter.

Magistrates of Gordonia:
C Bam (1 April 1889)
JA Ashburnham (28 July 1894)
CB Scholtz (24 September 1895)
JH O’Connel (5 March 1898)
D Eadie (1 January 1901)
PG Armstrong (26 February 1903)
P Wright (1 June 1904)
D May (12 April 1907)
CA Pentz (30 November 1912)
F de Villiers (1 May 1917)
P Wither (6 August 1919)
CE Stidolph (1 January 1921)
NW Whitehorn (1 January 1925)