The Municipality of Riversdale was constituted on 6 June 1849 under provision of Ordinance No 9, 1836 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No 2271, 7 June 1849, Proclamation dated 6 June 1849).
In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Municipality of Riversdale together with the Municipality of Albertinia, Gouritsmond Transitional Council, Heidelberg Transitional Council, Langeberg Transitional Representative Council, Mossel Bay Transitional Representative Council, Slangrivier Transitional Local Council and Municipality of Stilbaai was disestablished and the Langeberg (later Hessequa) Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5592, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 499, 22 September 2000). The Hessequa Local Municipality forms part of the larger Garden Route 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. «
The Village Management Board of Ritchie was established on 30 April 1909 under Proclamation No 223 of 1909 in terms of the provisions of the Villages Management Act 1881.
Most of the archives were damaged by floods which occurred in the Ritchie District during 1974.
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.
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 Municipality of Tulbagh was constituted on 27 August 1861 in terms of Proclamation No 61, 1861 under provision of Ordinance No 9, 1836 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 3285, 3 September 1861).
The lacunae in the archives up to 1969 resulted from the earthquake which occurred in Tulbagh during that year (Cape Archives File 12/4/2 Tulbagh Vol 1).
In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Tulbagh Municipality together with the Municipality of Ceres, Matroosberg Transitional Representative Council, Municipality of Prince Alfred’s Hamlet, Witzenberg Transitional Representative Council and Municipality of Wolseley was disestablished and the Witzenberg Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5590, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 487, 22 September 2000). The Witzenberg Local Municipality forms part of the larger Cape Winelands District Municipality.
The Village Management Board of Glen Lily, Fairfield and Parow was constituted on 4 December 1903 under provision of Proclamation No 369 in terms of the Villages Management Act, 1881 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No 8605, 15 December 1903).
The Municipality of Parow was established with effect from 8 September 1939 under provision of Proclamation No 126 of 1939 in terms of Ordinance No 10 of 1921 and Ordinance No 10 of 1912 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette, No 440, 8 September 1939).
In terms of Proclamation No 27 of 28 May 1996 the Tygerberg Substructure was established on 29 May 1996 with the amalgamation of Parow, Bellville, Goodwood, Lingelethu West, Durbanville, Mfuleni and parts of Cape Town, Milnerton and the Cape Metropolitan Board (The Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary, No 5051, 28 May 1996).
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 Berlin was created by Proclamation 131 of 12 June 1884 in terms of the provisions of the Villages Management Act, 1881. The small village in the Eastern Cape Province is now known as Ntabozuko.
