A Special Justice of the Peace was appointed at Adelaide in May 1888 (Government Gazette No 6968, dated 1 May 1888, Proclamation No 76, dated 7 April 1888). As from 12 November 1895, JHB Shaw was appointed Assistant Resident Magistrate for the district of Fort Beaufort but stationed at Adelaide (Government Gazette No 7762, dated 12 November 1895, Government Notice No 1088 dated 11 November 1895). A magistrate’s court was established at Adelaide in October 1905 (Government Gazette No 8795, dated 10 October 1905, Proclamation No 340).
Grahamstown developed into the main centre of the Eastern Province when the 1820 Settlers and some Boer families settled there.
On 15 September 1820 a court of Deputy Landdrost and Heemraden, under the control of the court of Landdrost and Heemraden at Uitenhage, was established for the better administration of justice in the new developed area.
In October 1820 it was, however, decided to establish a permanent seat of magistry in the district of Albany. The chief seat was situated in the town of Bathurst. The court of Heemraden consisted of the Heemrade resident within the limits of the sub-drostdy of Grahamstown.
The magistrate also acted as chairman of the matrimonial and liquor licensing courts.
The Municipality of Oudtshoorn was constituted on 26 August 1863 under provision of Proclamation No 29 of 1863 in terms of Ordinance No 9 of 1836 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No 3497, 1 September 1863).
In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Oudtshoorn Municipality as well as the De Rust/Blomnek Transitional Local Council, Bo-Langkloof Transitional Representative Council, Dysselsdorp Transitional Council and Oudtshoorn Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and the Oudtshoorn Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5592, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 502, 22 September 2000). The Oudtshoorn Local Municipality forms part of the larger Garden Route District Municipality (previously known as the Eden District Municipality).
The Divisional Council of Prieska was constituted on 30 June 1887 in terms of Proclamation No 113 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 6875, 1 July 1887). The first meeting of the Council was held on 23 August 1888 (see volume 4/PKA 1/1/1/1, p 2).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Prieska was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Britstown and Hopetown to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Prieska (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 dated 18July 1979).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Councils of Robertson and Montagu were reconstituted together to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Wynland (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).
On 31 March 1989 the Divisional Council Area of Wynland and portions of the Divisional Council Areas of Witzenberg and Matroosberg were established as the Breërivier Regional Services Council (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 331 of 31 March 1989).
On 25 September 1905 the division of Montagu was subdivided into six districts for Divisional Council purposes under provision of Act No 31 of 1899 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 8795a dated 13 October 1905, Proclamation No 360 dated 25 September 1905).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Montagu was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Robertson to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Wynland (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 dated 18 July 1979).
The Board of Public Roads for the Division of Stellenbosch was established together with and complementary to the Central Board of Commissioners for Public Roads on 22 November 1843 in terms of Ordinance No 8 of 1843. The function of the board was to maintain and improve branch roads in the said division. The board ceased to exist on the formation of the Stellenbosch Divisional Council in July 1855.
The Divisional Council of Stellenbosch was established on 12 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855.
On 1 July 1987 the Divisional Council areas of Stellenbosch, Cape and Paarl were established as the Western Cape Regional Services Council in terms of the Regional Services Councils Act of 1985 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette, No 4460 of 9 January 1987, Provincial Notice No 4 of 9 January 1987).
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Councils of Malmesbury and Piquetberg were reconstituted together to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Swartland (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).
On 31 March 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Swartland and Cederberg were established as the West Coast Regional Services Council (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 335 of 31 March 1989)
The Standing Rules and Orders of the Divisional Council of Barkly West, framed in terms of Act No 4 of 1865 were published under Government Notice No 363 dated 30 March 1882.
On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Barkly West was re-constituted together with the Divisional Councils Kimberley and Herbert to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Vaalrivier (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).
The Municipality of the Strand was constituted on 15 June 1896 in terms of Proclamation No 202, 1896 under provision of the Municipal Act, 1882 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 7824, 16 June 1896).
In terms of Proclamation No 27 of 28 May 1996 the Helderberg Substructure was established on 29 May 1996 with the amalgamation of the municipalities of Strand, Somerset West and Gordon’s Bay, as well as the Lwandle Town Council, Macassar Management Committee and Sir Lowry’s Pass Management Committee (Province of the Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary, No 5051, 28 May 1996). The substructure formed part of the Cape Metropolitan Council.
On 4 December 2000 the Cape Metropolitan Council and the substructures were abolished and the new City of Cape Town was created (Province of the Western Cape Provincial Gazette, No 5588, Proclamation 479 of 2000).
