The first form of administration in the area, which later constituted the Graaff-Reinet district, was an official appointed in October 1780 as "Commandant of the Lands in the East".
After numerous petitions to the Council of Policy a magistrate was eventually appointed for the Graaff-Reinet district on 13 December 1785.
The magistrate acted as chairman of the Slave Office, Clerk of the Peace, representative of the Orphan Chamber, chairman of the matrimonial court, etc.
A periodical court, to be held by the magistrate of Colesberg, was established at Hanover on 28 December 1857. This periodical court was abolished on 13 November 1876 when a magistrate was appointed for the district of Hanover. For the period up to December 1876 when the Magistrate of Colesberg tried cases in the Periodical Court at Hanover see 1/CBG D1/1/1 – 2/2/1 in the Colesberg Magistrate’s group.
The magistrate acted as deputy registrar of births and deaths, chairman of the water and liquor licensing courts and as controller of the Cape Mounted Police.
A Special Justice of the Peace was appointed at Hermanus on 1 March 1946 (Government Gazette No 3612 of 1 March 1946, Government Notice No 472 of 1946). On 1 July 1947 the court of the Special Justice of the Peace as well as the periodical court held by the magistrate of Caledon were abolished and a magistrate’s court was established at Hermanus (Government Gazette No 3838 dated 27 June 1947, Government Notice No 1297).
A court of the Resident Magistrate, to be presided over by an Assistant Resident Magistrate was established at Hopefield in the District of Malmesbury on 8 October 1896 (Government Gazette No 7856, dated 6 October 1896, Government Notice No 957).
An assistant magistrate’s court was established at Indwe on 27 June 1902 (Government Gazette No 8453 dated 27 June 1902, Government Notice No 445 of 1902). A magistrate’s court was established on 1 January 1918 (Government Gazette No 858 dated 1 January 1918, Government Notice No 1 of 1918).
A court of native commissioner for Indwe was established on 1 October 1937 (Government Gazette No 2467 dated 24 September 1937, Proclamation No 184 dated 9 September 1937).
The division of Port Elizabeth was subdivided into six districts for Divisional Council purposes by means of a Proclamation dated 7 July 1856, published in the Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 2733, and in terms of the provisions of Act No 5 of 1855.
The Divisional Council of Dias was established on 1 January 1978 following the amalgamation of the former Divisional Councils of Port Elizabeth, Alexandria and Bathurst (W Albertyn: Official South African Municipal Yearbook, 1979, p 135).
A Magistrate’s court was established at Jansenville on 7 September 1874 (Government Gazette No 4692 dated 8 September 1874, Proclamation No 62, dated 7 September 1874).
A Magistrate’s Court was established at Keiskammahoek to be presided over by an Assistant Resident Magistrate as from 1 January 1894 (Government Gazette No 7562, dated 12 December 1893, Government Notice No 1196, dated 8 December 1893).
The Magistrate of Keiskammahoek was also appointed Native Commissioner by Government Notice No 1865 of 1928, published in the Government Gazette No 1734, dated 26 October 1928.
Mr MB Shaw was appointed the first magistrate of Kentani, West Gcalekaland on 1 October 1878 (Blue Book for the Cape of Good Hope, 1879, page V B8).
On 26 October 1928 the Magistrate of Kentani was also appointed as Native Commissioner (Government Gazette No 1734 dated 26 October 1928, Government Notice No 1865 of 1928).
