Magistrate and Bantu Affairs Commissioner, Bedford
A magistrate’s court was established at Bedford on 13 August 1857 (Government Gazette No 2851, dated 14 August 1857, Proclamation dated 13 August 1857).
The Magistrate of Bedford was also appointed Native Commissioner by Government Notice No 1865 of 1928, published in Government Gazette No 1734 dated 26 October 1928.
Magistrate and Bantu Affairs Commissioner, Fort Beaufort
A Justice of the Peace was appointed for the districts of Albany and Somerset on 2 January 1834 (Government Gazette dated 3 January 1834 – Government Advertisement dated 2 January 1834). Fort Beaufort was fixed as the seat of this Justice of the Peace during 1835 (Government Gazette No 1541 dated 3 July 1835, undated Government Advertisement).
A Magistrate’s Court was established at Fort Beaufort on 8 March 1848 (Government Gazette No 2206 dated 9 March 1848, Proclamation dated 8 March 1848).
The Magistrate of Fort Beaufort was also appointed Native Commissioner as from 1 October 1928 (Government Gazette No 1734 dated 26 October 1928, Government Notice No 1865 of 1928).
Town Clerk, Municipality Uitenhage
The Municipality of Uitenhage was created by virtue of a proclamation dated 5 June 1841, published in Government Gazette No 1851 dated 11 June 1841. The municipality was proclaimed under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 15 August 1836.
In 1994 Uitenhage became part of the Eastern Cape Province. In 2001 Uitenhage was incorporated with Port Elizabeth and Despatch into the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. On 23 February 2021, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa approved and gazetted the decision to rename Uitenhage to Kariega.
Town Clerk, Municipality Umtata
The Village Management Board of Umtata was established in terms of Act 29 of 1881.
The Municipality of Umtata was constituted on 21 October 1882 under provision of Proclamation No 192, 1882 in terms of Act No 44 of 1882 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No 6303, 27 October 1882).
In 1976, Transkei was granted independence as a bantustan, a nominally independent state not recognised outside of South Africa, and Umtata served as the capital.
On 2 March 2004 Umtata was renamed "Mthatha". Mthatha is the main town of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality.
Town Clerk, Municipality Agulhas
The Local Board Area of L’Agulhas was established on 23 January 1946 under the provisions of Section 1 of Ordinance No 11, 1921 in terms of Proclamation No 8, 1946 (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 2207, 25 January 1946).
The Village Management Board of Agulhas was established on 24 May 1956 under the provisions of Section 2(a) of Ordinance No 11, 1921 and Section 4(a) of Ordinance No 10, 1921 in terms of Proclamation No 99, 1956 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 2816, 1 June 1956).
The Municipality of Agulhas was established with effect from 1 January 1975 under the provisions of section 5(1) and 8(1) of the Municipal Ordinance No 20, 1974 in terms of Proclamation No 414, 1974 (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Extraordinary Official Gazette No 3809, 3 December 1974).
The Agulhas Municipality was abolished with effect from 1 July 1985 under section 8(1) of the Municipal Ordinance, 1974 and section 8(1) of the Divisional Councils Ordinance, 1976 in terms of Proclamation No 197, 1984 and the area situated in the Division of Bredasdorp-Swellendam was declared to be a local area of the said division (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4351, 7 December 1984)
Town Clerk, Municipality Williston
The Municipality of Williston, which was formerly known as Amandelboom, was granted municipal regulations on 20 July 1881 in terms of Proclamation No 106 of 1881 under provision of Ordinance No 9 of 1836 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 6169, 29 July 1881). The name Amandelboom was changed to Williston in terms of Proclamation No 133 of 9 August 1883 under provision of the Municipal Act of 1882 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 6398, 10 August 1883).
In 1994 Williston became part of the Northern Cape Province. It forms part of the Karoo Hoogland Local Municipality, one of seven local municipalities that falls under the Namakwa District Municipality.
Master of the Supreme Court, Kimberley
The High Court of Griqualand West was established on 27 October 1871 (The Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette Extraordinary, No 4386, 28 October 1871, Proclamation No 70, 27 October 1871).
The Master controls the administration of deceased and insolvent estates. In this connection he protects the property rights of creditors and heirs and especially of minors. The acts which mainly control his functions are the Administration of Estates Act, 1965 (Act 66 of 1965), the Insolvency Act, 1936 (Act 24 of 1936), the Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973), the Close Corporations Act, 1984 (Act 69 of 1984) and the Trust Property Control Act, 1988 (Act 57 of 1988). He appoints executors and trustees in estates and liquidators of companies. He has in respect of minors to a limited extent the function of upper guardian, especially in regard to alienation of hypothecation of their immovable property. The interests of mentally affected persons and persons under curatorship are also protected by him. The most important task of the Master's office is to check liquidation and distribution accounts. He has wide powers to enforce proper administration by executors, liquidators and trustees.
There were six Master's offices in South Africa prior to 1997, one in each of the provincial capitals and one at Kimberley and also Grahamstown.
A magistrate's court was established at Bellville on 21 May 1926.
Previously the magistrate of Cape Town held a periodical court at Bellville.
The magistrate of Bellville held periodical courts at Durbanville and Philadelphia.
Secretary, Village Management Board Vredendal
The Village Management Board of Vredendal was established on 27 October 1944 in terms of Proclamation No 128, 1944 under provision of Ordinance No 10, 1921. (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 2134, 10 November 1944).
In terms of Proclamation No 220 dated 15 November 1962 under provision of Ordinance No 19, 1951 the Village Management Board of Vredendal was declared a Municipality with effect from 1 March 1963 (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette, No 3161, 23 November 1962).
According to a declaration signed by the Town Clerk on 5 November 1987, a large proportion of archives of the Village Management Board have not remained preserved.
On 1 September 1855 the district of Bredasdorp was created and JH Hofmeyr appointed Resident Magistrate for the said district (Government Gazette No 2645 dated 7 September 1855). The magistrate held periodical courts at Napier and acted as gaoler, chief constable, deputy registrar of births and deaths and chairman of the liquor licensing court.
The Magistrate’s Office at Bredasdorp and all the records which were housed there at the time were destroyed by fire in December 1941 (File No K9/6/B8: Letter dated 14 October 1960 addressed to the Senior Archivist, Cape Town by the Magistrate, Bredasdorp). This presumably accounts for the gaps between 1902 – 1941 in the various series of archives.