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During 1881 the Cape Parliament sanctioned the appointment of Count de Vasselot de Regné as Superintendent of Woods and Forests to reorganise the system of forest administration.

The first such reorganisation within the Transkeian District came about during 1887, when Forest Rangers, Forest Guards and Native Assistants were appointed. During the period prior to when the Transkeian Forest District was declared a conservancy, these forests fell under the control of the Conservator of Forests, Eastern Conservancy, King William’s Town.

Because of the lack of effective control over the Transkeian Forest District J Storr Lister (Conservator, Eastern Conservancy) was instructed to inspect the valuable forests of the Transkei and Griqualand East in order that a practical system of forest control could be introduced. The reason for such a course of action was that it was considered possible to increase the forest revenue for the district.

In 1889 the most senior official appointed to the Transkei Forest District was CC Henkel stationed in Griqualand East with the designation of Chief Forest Ranger. In a letter dated 30 April 1890 Henkel was informed of his promotion to “conservator” effective from 1 July 1889.

In spite of a thorough search it was impossible to determine the date when the Transkeian Territory was declared as such except that the first annual report of the Transkeian Conservancy was for the year 1889.

The duties of the Conservator of Forests, Transkeian Territories, were basically the same as those of the Conservator of Forests, Eastern Conservancy. They can be summarised as follows: The Conservator was entrusted with the control of all Crown Forests in the area under him and was authorised to issue, cancel or amend all licences issued with regard to the felling of timber, grazing of livestock on forest lands, squatting, igniting of fires as well as the hunting of and protection of game. He was further charged with the disposal of all forest produce. The District Forest Officers stationed at Umtata, Butterworth and Kokstad fell under his jurisdiction.

The post of Conservator of Forests was redesignated in 1959, as Chief Regional Forest Officer, Transkeian Territories and the sphere and scope of his duties extended by the inclusion of the state sawmills in his responsibilities.

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.