The Division and District of Kimberley was constituted as part of the Province of Griqualand West in terms of Ordinance No 8 of1879. Ordinance No 9 of 27 March 1879 provided for the establishments of Divisional Councils in the Province of Griqualand West. The first meeting of the Divisional Council of Kimberley was held on 16 September 1881 (The Statute Law of Griqualand West, pp284 – 287).

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

The Municipality of Kimberley was constituted by Griqualand West Ordinance No 7 of 1877 dated 27 June 1877.

In 1994 Kimberley became part of the Northern Cape Province. It forms part of the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, one of five local municipalities that falls under the Frances Baard (previously Diamantveld) District Municipality.

The High Court of Griqualand West was established on 27 October 1871 (The Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette Extraordinary, No 4386, 28 October 1871, Proclamation No 70, 27 October 1871).

The Master controls the administration of deceased and insolvent estates. In this connection he protects the property rights of creditors and heirs and especially of minors. The acts which mainly control his functions are the Administration of Estates Act, 1965 (Act 66 of 1965), the Insolvency Act, 1936 (Act 24 of 1936), the Companies Act, 1973 (Act 61 of 1973), the Close Corporations Act, 1984 (Act 69 of 1984) and the Trust Property Control Act, 1988 (Act 57 of 1988). He appoints executors and trustees in estates and liquidators of companies. He has in respect of minors to a limited extent the function of upper guardian, especially in regard to alienation of hypothecation of their immovable property. The interests of mentally affected persons and persons under curatorship are also protected by him. The most important task of the Master's office is to check liquidation and distribution accounts. He has wide powers to enforce proper administration by executors, liquidators and trustees.

There were six Master's offices in South Africa prior to 1997, one in each of the provincial capitals and one at Kimberley and also Grahamstown.