A Magistrate’s Court was established at Idutywa on 1 February 1877 (PJ Venter: Government Departments of the Cape of Good Hope, 1806 – 1910, p 292).

The Magistrate of Idutywa was also appointed Native Commissioner as from 1 October 1928 (Government Gazette No 1734 dated 26 October 1928, Government Notice No 1865 dated 26 October 1928).

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 Local Board of Jeffreys Bay was established on 30 October 1925 in terms of Proclamation No 210 under provision of section 1(1) of Ordinance No 11, 1921 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 1003, 16 November 1925).

The Village Management Board of Jeffreys Bay was established on 18 July 1930 in terms of Proclamation No 121 under provision of section 4(a) of Ordinance No 10, 1921 and section 2(a) of Ordinance No 11, 1921 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 1275, 25 July 1930).

The Village Management Board of Nqamakwe was established on 20 March 1906 in terms of Proclamation No 73 under provision of Proclamation No 79 of 1901 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette No 8841, 20 March 1906).

On the establishment of the Transkeian Townships Board, the Village Management Area of Nqamakwe was officially abolished on 15 September 1972 in terms of Proclamation No 354 under section 4(b) of the Village Management Board Ordinance No 10, 1921 (Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 3688, 22 September 1972). With independence in October 1976, Nqamakwe fell under the authority of the Republic of Transkei.

In 1994 Nqawakwe became part of the Eastern Cape Province. It forms part of the Mnquma Local Municipality, one of six local municipalities that falls under the Amathole District Municipality.

The Village Management Board of Tsolo was established on 18 November 1910 in terms of Proclamation No 100 of 1910 under provision of Proclamation No 79 of 1901 (The Province of the Cape of Hood Hope Official Gazette No 58, 16 December 1910).

From October 1976 the village of Tsolo Came under the jurisdiction of the independent Transkeian Government.

In 1994 Tsolo became part of the Eastern Cape Province. It forms part of the Mhlontlo Local Municipality, one of five local municipalities that falls under the OR Tambo District Municipality.

The purpose of the Department of Community Development was to promote the housing and settlement of all the different population groups in the country and the development of sound communities, and to remove, by means of slum clearance and urban renewal, poor conditions impeding proper community development.

The functions of the Department included: professional and technical planning of and control over housing programmes for the National Housing Commission and the Community Development Board; settlement and development of communities and provision of alternative facilities; activation of and assistance to local authorities to provide housing in terms of the Slums Act, 1934, and the Housing Act, 1966, and to develop areas for specific population groups with or without financial assistance from the Department, buying, selling and letting properties within the framework of the activities of the Department; renewal and replanning of depressed urban areas; provision and maintenance of official quarters for certain public servants; administration of the housing loan plan for public servants, of the Slums Clearance Act, and the Rents Act, of government villages, and of permits in terms of the Group Areas Act, 1966, in respect of proclaimed group areas.

There were eight regional offices in South Africa - in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Pietermaritzburg, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth.