The Divisional Council of Ceres was constituted on 1 August 1889 under provision of Proclamation No 130 of 1889 in terms of Act No 4 of 1965 (The Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 7107 of 2 August 1889).

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Ceres was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Tulbagh to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Witzenberg (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

The Divisional Council of Clanwilliam was established on 6 August 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette dated 10 August 1855).

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Clanwilliam was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Vanrhynsdorp to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Cederberg (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

The Divisional Council of King William’s Town was established on 22 February 1866 under Ordinance No 2 of 1866 (British Kaffraria Government Gazette, 22 February 1866). The first meeting of the Council was held on 25 May 1866.

On 1 January 1975 the Divisional Council of King William’s Town was reconstituted together with the Divisional Councils of Komga, Stutterheim and East London to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Kaffraria (Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3796 dated 6 September 1974, Proclamation No 298 dated 30 Augustus 1974).

The District of Carnarvon was constituted a Division together with Fraserburg and Victoria West for fiscal purposes in terms of Proclamation No 6 of 1880 dated 1 January 1880. Proclamation No 115 of 1881 dated 1 August 1881 constituted Carnarvon a separate Divisional Council (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette dated 2 January 1880 and 2 August 1881).

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Carnarvon was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Williston to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Kareeberg (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

The Divisional Council of the Cape was established on 9 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855. In terms of Act No 33 of 1909 it was renamed the Rural Council of the Cape Division. In terms of Ordinance No 13 of 1917 it resumed the name of Divisional Council of the Cape.

The Regional Services Council for the Cape Metropole and surrounding areas covering the Divisional Council areas of the Cape, Stellenbosch and Paarl was established in terms of section 3(1)(a) of the Regional Services Council Act, 1985 (Act No 109 of 1985) with effect from 9 January 1987 (Official Gazette of the Province of the Cape of Good Hope, No 4460, 9 January 1987, Provincial Notice No 4 of 9 January 1987). The Divisional Councils of the Cape, Paarl and Stellenbosch were abolished as from 30 June 1987 and the functions taken over by the Western Cape Regional Services Council as from that date (4/WCR, Minutes of the Council, Chairman’s welcoming address, 25 June 1987).

The Divisional Council of Vaalharts was constituted on 1 July 1960 in terms of Proclamation No 36 of 12 March 1960 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3018, 18 March 1960).

On 1 July 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Hay, Vaalharts and Vaalrivier were reconstituted together as the Diamantveld Regional Services Council (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 341 of 31 March 1989).

The Divisional Council of Swellendam was proclaimed on 16 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855. According to the requirements of this act, the division of Swellendam was divided into six districts:
(1) Swellendam Upper Duivenhoks River, Lower Duivenhoks River, Breede River;
(2) Before Cogmanskloof, behind Cogmanskloof, Tradouw, Klipriver;
(3) Bosjesveld, Onder River Zonder End, Kluytjes Kraal, Potteberg;
(4) Riversdale, Vette River, Krombeks River, Over Duivenhoks River;
(5) Valsch River, Kaffirkuils River, Buffels, Fonteyns Valley;
(6) Great Zwartberg, Spring Fonteyn, Langeberg

The first election of members took place on 18 September 1855 at the residences of the field cornets of the proclaimed districts. By the terms of the act, one member was elected for each district.

Since the establishment of the Divisional Council of Swellendam the boundaries have been altered on several occasions, such as 1858 (in terms of Act No 12 of 1857);(4) 1860; 1872; etc.

In 1893 the Divisional Council was proclaimed the “Local Authority” for the division of Swellendam.

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Swellendam was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Bredasdorp to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Bredasdorp-Swellendam.

Although the Divisional Council was proclaimed in 1855, the oldest archives only date back to 1862. This apparently, can be attributed to the large scale weeding and destruction of archives by officials of the Divisional Council in 1944. A few archives of great research value, such as a minute book covering the period February 1862 – June 1877 and a map of the Tradouw Pass drawn by Thomas Bain in 1867, were, however, donated to the Drostdy Museum at Swellendam. Through the kind co-operation of the curatrix of the museum all the archives in their possession were eventually transferred to this archives repository.

The Divisional Council of Bredasdorp was established on 8 November 1858 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855.

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Bredasdorp was reconstituted together with the Divisional Council of Swellendam to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Bredasdorp-Swellendam (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 dated 18 July 1979).

The Standing Rules and Orders of the Divisional Council of Barkly West, framed in terms of Act No 4 of 1865 were published under Government Notice No 363 dated 30 March 1882.

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Council of Barkly West was re-constituted together with the Divisional Councils Kimberley and Herbert to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Vaalrivier (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 dated 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

On 1 January 1980 the Divisional Councils of Malmesbury and Piquetberg were reconstituted together to form the amalgamated Divisional Council of Swartland (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4061 of 20 July 1979, Proclamation No 174 of 18 July 1979).

On 31 March 1989 the Divisional Council Areas of Swartland and Cederberg were established as the West Coast Regional Services Council (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 4580 of 31 March 1989, Provincial Notice No 335 of 31 March 1989)