By proclamation of 18 November 1847 a municipal board for Port Elizabeth was established, consisting of eight commissioners (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 2190 of 18 November 1847). By Act No 3 of 1860 Port Elizabeth became a municipality under the control of a mayor and town council. This act was re-enacted with amendments by Act No 14 of 1868. By Ordinance No 13 of 1913 the status of the municipality was elevated to that of a city.
In 2001, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality was formed as an administrative area covering Port Elizabeth, the neighbouring towns of Uitenhage and Despatch and the surrounding agricultural areas.
In 2019, the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee (ECGNC) announced that the city of Port Elizabeth would likely have its name changed to Gqeberha, a Xhosa word used to refer to the Baakens River, which flows through the city. The proposal garnered significant local opposition. Despite this, on 23 February 2021, the city was officially renamed Gqeberha.
The Village Management Board of Niekerkshoop was constituted on 18 June 1906 under provision of Proclamation No 199 in terms of the Villages Management Act of 1881 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 8873, 10 July 1906).
Prior to the establishment of the Village Management Board, a Village Commission was chosen by the inhabitants of Niekerkshoop in 1903 when the village was founded. The Commission ceased to exist on the formation of the Board (3/NKP 1/2/1).
The Village Management Board of Hopefield was constituted on 24 December 1902 in terms of Proclamation No 282 of 1902 under provision of the Villages Management Act of 1881 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 8505, 30 December 1902).
According to a declaration signed by the Town Clerk, Hopefield on 3 October 1984, the majority of early archives were not preserved.
The Municipality of Hopefield was constituted on 2 April 1914 in terms of Proclamation No 95 of 1914 under provision of Ordinance No 10 of 1912 (Provincial Gazette of Cape of Good Hope No 134, 24 April 1914).
In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Municipality of Hopefield together with the Municipality of Langebaan, the Malmesbury Transitional Representative Council and the West Coast Peninsula Transitional Council was disestablished and the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5589, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 484, 22 September 2000). The Saldanha Bay Local Municipality forms part of the larger West Coast District Municipality.
According to a declaration signed by the Town Clerk, Hopefield on 3 October 1984, a certain portion of archives have not remained preserved.
By virtue of Proclamation No 408 of 26 November 1974 under provision of the Saldanha Bay Municipal Administration Ordinance No 16 of 1974 and Municipal Ordinance No 19 of 1951, the Municipality of Vredenburg was combined with the Municipality of Saldanha and the name Vredenburg-Saldanha Municipality assigned to it (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3808, 29 November 1974).
In terms of the Local Government Transition Act (Act No 209 of 1993), the Municipality of Vredenburg-Saldanha was dissolved and the West Coast Peninsula Transitional Council was established in terms of Proclamation No 104 of 1994, dated 30 December 1994 (Province of the Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary, No 4914, 30 December 1994) to govern and represent in respect of its area of jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Ordinance, 1974 (Ordinance 20 of 1974).
The Swellendam Municipality was created by a proclamation dated 23 June 1843 published in Government Gazette No 1958 of 30 June 1843. The municipality was proclaimed under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 15 August 1836.
In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structure Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Swellendam Municipality together with Barrydale Municipality, Bredasdorp Transitional Representative Council, Infanta Transitional Local Council, Langeberg Transitional Representative Council, Suurbraak Transitional Local Council, Swellendam Transitional Representative Council, and Wynland Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and Swellendam Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5591, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 496, 22 September 2000). The Swellendam Local Municipality forms part of the larger Overberg District Municipality.
The Swellendam Municipality was created by a proclamation dated 23 June 1843 published in Government Gazette No 1958 of 30 June 1843. The municipality was proclaimed under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 15 August 1836.
In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structure Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Swellendam Municipality together with Barrydale Municipality, Bredasdorp Transitional Representative Council, Infanta Transitional Local Council, Langeberg Transitional Representative Council, Suurbraak Transitional Local Council, Swellendam Transitional Representative Council, and Wynland Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and Swellendam Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5591, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 496, 22 September 2000). The Swellendam Local Municipality forms part of the larger Overberg District Municipality. «
