Burgersdorp was constituted a municipality by a proclamation of 5 March 1850 under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 1836. The municipality was originally administered by a municipal board of commissioners.

During a fire in the municipal offices at Burgersdorp in 1952 certain minute books, the series letters received and letters despatched, all financial statements and almost all correspondence until 1936 were destroyed. This accounts for the lacunae within the archives.

In 1994 Burgersdorp became part of the Eastern Cape Province. It forms part of the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality, one of three local municipalities that falls under the Joe Gqabi District Municipality.

Burgersdorp started developing in the early years of the 19th century but it was only on 8 March 1848 that the first magistrate for the district of Albert was appointed.

The magistrate held a periodical court at Molteno from 1884 - 1893 and also acted as chairman of the liquor licensing court and the war losses compensation sub commission.