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The Divisional Council of Vaalharts was constituted on 1 July 1960 in terms of Proclamation No 36 of 12 March 1960 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3018, 18 March 1960).

On 1 July 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Hay, Vaalharts and Vaalrivier were reconstituted together as the Diamantveld Regional Services Council (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 341 of 31 March 1989).

The District of Carnarvon was constituted a Division together with Fraserburg and Victoria West for fiscal purposes in terms of Proclamation No 6 of 1880 dated 1 January 1880. Proclamation No 115 of 1881 dated 1 August 1881 constituted Carnarvon a separate Divisional Council (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette dated 2 January 1880 and 2 August 1881).

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Carnarvon was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Williston to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Kareeberg (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

The Colesberg Magisterial Division was brought into being in February 1837. It was severed from the Graaff-Reinet district (created 1786) mainly on account of the increase in crime on the northern border. The initial boundaries were defined in a Proclamation of 8 February of the same year, and were altered from time to time with the creation of new districts.

The limited jurisdiction exercised by the Magistrate of the Colesberg district until 1856 was derived from Ordinance No 33 of 1827. By Act No 20 of 1856, however, the Magistrate received extended jurisdiction. He now possessed original criminal and civil jurisdiction and performed miscellaneous quasi- and non-judicial functions. In regard to criminal cases the Magistrate was empowered to impose fines not exceeding £10, and imprisonment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding three months and a whipping not exceeding thirty lashes.

In regard to civil matters the magistrate adjudicated all cases in which the amount at issue did not exceed £20 and where the title to lands or tenements, or any fee, duty or office was not in question.

This magisterial jurisdiction was altered by various subsequent statues both of the Cape Colony and of the Union.

The Resident Magistrate also acted as “coroner” at inquests and as Chairman of the Divisional Board and the Liquor Licensing Court.

In his capacity as Civil Commissioner the incumbent of the magisterial seat was concerned with the financial and land matters of the district.

The judicial authority of the Clerk of the Peace as public prosecutor was derived from Ordinance No 40 of 25 January, 1828 as amended.

Richmond and Hopetown were the first areas to be detached from the Colesberg District. They were established separate magisterial divisions in 1848 and 1857 respectively. By a proclamation dated 28 February 1857 a periodical court was set up at Hanover and in 1876 it was established as a separate magisterial division. The foregoing periodical court records have been bound with those of the Resident Magistrate of Colesberg and it is not possible to remove them.

By proclamation No 102 of 1882 a periodical court was established at Philipstown and in 1886 the district of Philipstown was established as a separate magisterial division. No records of the periodical court have been traced.

Magistrates of Colesberg, 1837 – 1959:
1. F Rawstorne (1837 – 1857)
2. W Murray (1857 – 1858)
3. J Walker (1858 – 1860)
4. H Green (1860 – 1870)
5. FJ van der Riet (1870 – 1871)
6. H Hudson (1871 – 1874)
7. PA Mader (1874 – 1879)
8. FJ Hodgers (1879 – 1881)
9. P Nightingale (1881 – 1882)
10. A Tweed (1882 – 1886)
11. AF Robertson (1886 – 1890)
12. CC Campbell (1890 – 1891)
13. FE Philpott (1891 – 1897)
14. F Wrensch (1897 – 1903)
15. GHB Shaw (1903 – 1911)
16. JW Kuys (1911 – 1912)
17. D May (1912 – 1917)
18. TH Bam (1918)
19. T Bain (1919 – 1925)
20. F de Villiers (1926 – 1927)
21. CD Stanier (1928 – 1933)
22. PJ Burger (1934 – 1937)
23. JD Blake (1938 – 1940)
24. ECC du Plooy (1941 – 1944)
25. PA Blomerus (1945 – 1949)
26. AC Nel (1950 – 1954)
27. PJ van Wyk (1955 – 1959)

In 1855 it was decided to establish a magistracy at the missionary station Kamaggas, formerly part of the district of Clanwilliam. The new district, of which the boundaries were defined, was called Namaqualand. The seat of magistracy was, however, established on the farm of Philips and King, Springbokfontein. Although still part of the division of Clanwilliam, the resident magistrate acted as civil commissioner within the limits of Namaqualand up to 1856 when Namaqualand was constituted an independent division for fiscal purposes. The magisterial district’s boundaries, which were also to be the boundaries of the division, were also altered.

In 1917 a periodical court in the district of Namaqualand was established at Bowesdorp and moved to Kamieskroon in 1929.

Another periodical court in the district was established at Wallekraal in 1931 with jurisdiction within specified limits.

Magistrates of Namaqualand, 1855 – 1960
JC Rivers (1855 – 1858)
WH Auret (1858 – 1859)
L Anthing (1859 – 1862)
EA Judge (1862 – 1868)
L Boyes (1869 – 1878)
PJ de Smidt (1878 – 1879)
JT Eustace (1879 – 1890)
WC Scully (1891 – 1892)
HM Blakeway (1893 – 1897)
JD Hugo (1897 – 1898)
JB van Renen (1898 – 1902)
J Herbst (1902 – 1903)
WM Eustace (1903 – 1905)
W Magennis (1905 – 1909)
MM Basson (1909)
DC Giddy (1910 – 1915)
AW Preston (1915 – 1917)
G v R Philpott (1917 – 1920)
PA Garcia (1920 – 1923)
JA Verschuur (1923 – 1924)
JG Freislich (1925 – 1928)
MJ Streak (1929 – 1930)
WS Anderson (1931 – 1932)
SH Elliot (1933 – 1934)
CD Stanier (1935 – 1937)
WVD Cellaruis (1938 – 1939)
JT Fritz (1940)
NB Arbuthnot (1941 – 1943)
CJ Jooste (1944 – 1950)
RN Fuller (1951 – 1953)
JC Cooper (1954 - 1960)