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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A magistrate's court for the district of Carnarvon was established on 23 September 1874. In that year the name of the town changed from Harmsfontein to Carnarvon.
The magistrate held a periodical court at Van Wyksvlei.
A Magistrate’s Court was established at Butterworth on 16 December 1878 (PJ Venter: Government Departments of the Cape of Good Hope, 1806 – 1910, p 292).
The Magistrate of Butterworth, Mr FH Brownlee, was also appointed Native Commissioner by Government Notice No 1865 of 26 October 1928 (Government Gazette No 1734 dated 26 October 1928).
By Proclamation dated 28 November 1811 (Government Gazette No 276), IH Frouenfelder was appointed First Adjunct Landdrost of Swellendam with his residence at Zwarteberg’s Baths. The position of Adjunct Landdrost was abolished on 21 June 1822 (PJ Venter: Government Departments of the Cape of Good Hope).
A Special Justice of the Peace was appointed at Calitzdorp as from 28 November 1876 (Government Notice No 85, Government Gazette No 5635 dated 28 November 1876). An Assistant Resident Magistrate was appointed at Calitzdorp in place of the Special Justice of the Peace as from 25 January 1900 (Government Notice No 62, Government Gazette No 8201 of 26 January 1900). The Court opened on 19 March 1900 (Government Notice No 206 of 21 March 1900, Government Gazette No 8217 of 23 March 1900).
