On 16 March 1894 JG Leary was appointed Acting Magistrate for the territory of Western Pondoland (Government Gazette No 7591 dated 23 March 1894, Government Notice No 348 dated 16 March 1894). After Pondoland was annexed to the Cape Colony on 25 September 1894, a magistrate’s court was established at Ngqeleni and Leary was appointed as Resident Magistrate (Government Gazette No 7645 dated 28 September 1894, Proclamations Nos 339 and 341, dated 25 September 1894 and Government Notice No 946 dated 25 September 1894).

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