The Municipality of Somerset West was constituted on 6 November 1903, in terms of Proclamation No 350, 1903 under provision of the Municipal Act, 1882 (The Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No 8600, 27 November 1903).

On 1 February, the local authorities of Somerset Municipality, Strand Municipality, Gordon’s Bay Municipality, Lwandle Town Council, Macassar Management Committee and Sir Lowry’s Pass Management Committee were dissolved and each one replaced by a Transitional Metropolitan Substructure. The new Cape Metropolitan Council was created which included all the substructures (The Province of the Western Cape Official Gazette No 4929, Proclamation no 18).

On 28 May 1996, the substructures were dissolved, and a new Helderberg Substructures was created, remaining part of the Metropolitan Council (The Province of the Western Cape Official Gazette No 5051, Proclamation No 27).

On 4 December 2000, the Cape Metropolitan Council and the substructures were abolished, and the new City of Cape Town was created ((The Province of the Western Cape Official Gazette No 5588, Proclamation No 479).