According to the documents, a magistrate’s court was established at Mount Fletcher in approximately September 1882. Before the establishment of the magistracy, an officer styled Clerk in Charge, A Molife, was stationed at Mount Fletcher in the district of Gatberg (Government Gazette no 6012, dated 20 April 1880, Government Notice no 439, dated 19 April 1880).
The Magistrate of Mount Fletcher was also appointed Native Commissioner as from 1 October 1928 (Government Gazette no 1734, dated 26 October 1928, Government Notice no 1865 of 1928).
A magistrate’s court was first established at Port Elizabeth on 8 April 1825 (Government Gazette No 1004, dated 9 April 1825, Proclamation dated 8 April 1825). However the court was disbanded on 19 December 1827 (Government Gazette No 1145, Ordinance 30, dated 19 December 1827). Sir B D’Urban re- established the court at Port Elizabeth on 6 February 1837 (Government Gazette No 1625 dated 10 February 1837, Proclamation No 1–1837, dated 6 February 1837).
A magistrate’s court was established at Taungs on 6 October 1885 (Government Gazette No 6654, dated 7 October 1885, Proclamation No 3BB, dated 6 October 1885). On 1 July 1896 Taungs was incorporated into the magisterial division of Vryburg (Government Gazette No 7810 dated 28 April 1896, Proclamation No 149, dated 27 April 1896). CR Chalmers was appointed Assistant Resident Magistrate at Taungs on 1 July 1896 (Government Gazette No 7825 dated 19 June 1896, Government Notice No 568, dated 1 July 1896). He served in this capacity until Taungs was re-established as a separate magistracy on 13 February 1899 when he was appointed the new magistrate (Government Gazette No 8104, dated 21 February 1899, Proclamation No 68, dated 13 February 1899. Chalmers’ re – appointed was recorded in the same Gazette, Government Notice No 169, dated 20 February 1899).
The magistrate of Taungs was also appointed Native Commissioner as from 1 October 1928 (Government Gazette No 1734 dated 26 October 1928, Government Notice No 1865, dated 26 October 1928).
Taungs was incorporated into Bophuthatswana on 5 December 1977.
On 1 October 1878 a magistrate’s court was established at Tsomo in the Transkeian Territories (PJ Venter: Government Departments of the Cape of Good Hope, 1806 – 1910, p 295). Tsomo, as part of Fingoland, was annexed to the Cape Colony on 1 October 1879 (Government Gazette No 5950, dated 16 September 1879, Proclamation No 110, dated 15 September 1879). After the attainment of self-government by the Transkei, all records of government offices subsequent to 1 November 1963 were deposited in the Transkeian Archives Depot in Umtata (now Mthatha Archives Repository).
The Magistrate of Tsomo was also appointed Native Commissioner on 1 October 1928 (Government Gazette No 1734, dated 26 October 1928, Government Notice No 1865, dated 26 October 1928). The designation was later changed to Bantu Affairs Commissioner.
