In 1878, for purpose of increasing the revenue of the Colony, the Excise Duty Act (Act No 2 0f 1878) was promulgated. This act made provision for the imposition of duty on spirits. The Governor was to appoint excise officers for the execution of this task.

Thomas Crowe was the first official to be appointed by the Governor as Inspector of Excise of the Cape Colony on 2 November 1882.

Thereafter this title was changed to Chief Inspector of the Excise Department in 1884, to Controller of Licences (1886), to Controller of Licences and Stamps (1890), and to Chief Inspector of Excise (1914).

On 1 July 1897 Thomas Crowe was succeeded by GWA Cloete as Superintendent of Excise. In turn, he was succeeded by LB Smuts as Controller of the Excise Department on 23 June 1904.

Smuts held this position until 1912, when EA Thomas took over as Chief Inspector of Excise. On 1 September 1913 the title was changed to Superintendent of Excise.

Since 1914 the Superintendent of Excise was the local representative of the Department of Excise in Cape Town with the Commissioner of Customs and Excise in Pretoria as head of the Department.