On 20 October 1858 the division of Victoria West was subdivided into six districts for Divisional Council purposes under provision of Act No 5 of 1855 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 2978 dated 22 October 1858, Proclamation dated 20 October 1858). The first meeting of the council was held on 15 February 1859 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 3006 dated 28 January 1859, Notice dated 22 January 1859).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Victoria West was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Richmond and Loxton to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Central Karoo (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 dated 18 July 1979).
On 22 August 1889 the division of Philipstown was subdivided into six districts for Divisional Council purposes under Section 4 of Act 4 of 1865 and Section 7 of Act 30 of 1888 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 7113, 23 August 1889, Proclamation No 162, 22 August 1889). The first council meeting was held on 29 October 1889 (4/PLT 1/1/1/1).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Philipstown was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of De Aar and Hanover to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Bo-Karoo (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061, 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174, 18 July 1979).
The Division and District of Kimberley was constituted as part of the Province of Griqualand West in terms of Ordinance No 8 of1879. Ordinance No 9 of 27 March 1879 provided for the establishments of Divisional Councils in the Province of Griqualand West. The first meeting of the Divisional Council of Kimberley was held on 16 September 1881 (The Statute Law of Griqualand West, pp284 – 287).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Kimberley was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Barkly West and Herbert to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Vaal River (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 dated 18 July 1979).
The division of Paarl was granted a Divisional Road Board in terms of Ordinance No 8 of 1843. This Board sat for the first time on 7 September 1848 and functioned until it was superseded by the Divisional Council.
The Divisional Council of Paarl was proclaimed on 9 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855. According to the requirements of the said act, the division was divided into six districts comprising various field cornetcies. The original division was:
(1) Southern Paarl; (2) Northern Paarl; (3) Klein Drakenstein; (4) Wagonmaker’s Valley and Groenberg; (5) Paardeberg and Behind the Paarl; (6) Great Drakenstein and Fransche Hoek
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. 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.
On 5 January 1858 the division of Mossel Bay was subdivided into six districts for divisional council purposes under provision of Act No 12 of 1857 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 2893, 8 January 1858, Proclamation of 5 January 1858).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Mossel Bay was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of George and Knysna to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Outeniqua (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061, 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174, 18 July 1979).
The Divisional Council of Kenhardt was constituted on 24 March 1892 in terms of Proclamation No 89 of 1892 under provision of Act No 40 of 1889 according to the requirements of the said act, the division was divided into six districts each consisting of one field-cornetcy (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 7383 dated 25 March 1892, Proclamation No 899 dated 24 March 1892).
On 31 March 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Gordonia and Kenhardt were established as the Benede-Oranje Regional Services Council with effect from 1 July 1989 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 336 of 31 March 1989).
The Divisional Council of Herbert was established on 17 March 1879 under provision of Proclamation No 5 of 1879 in terms of the Divisional Councils Act of 1865 (Griqualand West Government Gazette No 130, 21 March 1879).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Herbert was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Kimberley and Barkly West to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Vaal River (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061, 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174, 18 July 1979).
The Divisional Council of Queenstown was constituted on 8 May 1857 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855.
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Queenstown was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Sterkstroom, Cathcart, Molteno and Tarka to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Stormberg (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061, 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174, 18 July 1979).
The elected members of the Divisional Council of Gordonia were announced in a Government Notice of 11 April 1907. The first meeting of the Council was held in the Court House, Upington on 15 May 1907 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 8954, 19 April 1907).
On 31 March 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Gordonia and Kenhardt were established as the Benede-Oranje Regional Services Council with effect from 1 July 1989 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 336 of 31 March 1989).
A Special Justice of the Peace was appointed at Whittlesea in the district of Queenstown on 1 September 1904 (Government Gazette No 8678 dated 26 August 1904, Proclamation No 267 dated 26 August 1904). According to the records he started hearing cases only in January 1932. On 12 September 1938 Whittlesea was named a place for holding a magistrate’s court in addition to Queenstown, the seat of the magistracy (Government Gazette No 2576 dated 7 October 1938, Proclamation No 217 dated 12 September 1938).
Although an Assistant Native Commissioner held court at Whittlesea since August 1929, he was officially appointed only on 1 April 1933 and on 25 August 1934 received criminal jurisdiction (Government Gazette No 2129 dated 14 July 1933, Government Notice No 970 dated 14 July 1933; Government Gazette No 2221 dated 7 September 1934, Proclamation No 161 dated 25 August 1934).
From 1968 the Magistrate of Whittlesea fell under the jurisdiction of the Ciskeian Government and on 1 October 1971 the district of Hewu, with Sada as the seat of the court, was established (Government Gazette No 3237 dated 27 August 1971, Government Notice No 1482 dated 27 August 1971).
