District municipalities administer and make rules for a district, which includes more than one local municipality. The purpose of district municipalities and local municipalities sharing the responsibility for local government in their areas is to ensure that all communities, particularly disadvantaged communities, have equal access to resources and services. This will help some local municipalities that don't have the capacity (finances, facilities, staff, or knowledge) to provide services to their communities. It will also help to cut the costs of running a municipality by sharing resources with others. The "richer" areas will allow the "poorer" areas. District municipalities are seen as successors to former Regional Services Councils/District Councils.

Some of the functions and powers of district municipalities include:
• To plan for development for the district municipality as a whole.
• Bulk supply of water that affects a large proportion of the municipalities in the district.
• bulk supply of electricity that affects a large proportion of the municipalities in the district
• Bulk sewerage purification works and central sewerage disposal.
• Waste disposal sites for the whole district municipality area.
• Municipal roads for the whole district municipality area.
• Regulating passenger transport services.
• Municipal health services for the whole area.
• Firefighting services for the whole area.
• Control of fresh produce markets.
• Control of cemeteries.
• Promoting local tourism for the whole area.
• Municipal public works.

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Breërivier District Council, Matroosberg Transitional Representative Council, Witzenberg Transitional Representative Council, Winelands District Council and Wynland Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and the Boland District Municipality established with its seat in Worcester (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5590, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 486, 22 September 2000). The Boland District Municipality was divided into five local municipalities, namely Witzenberg with its seat in Ceres, Drakenstein (Paarl), Stellenbosch (Stellenbosch), Breede Valley (Worcester), and Langeberg (Ashton).

In August 2004, the name Boland District Municipality was changed to the Cape Winelands District Municipality.

The Municipality of Paarl was constituted on 9 October 1840 under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 1836.

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Paarl Municipality together with the Matroosberg Transitional Representative Council, Paarl Transitional Representative Council, Saron Transitional Local Council, Wellington Transitional Council and Witzenberg Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and the Drakenstein Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5590, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 488, 22 September 2000). The Drakenstein Local Municipality forms part of the larger Cape Winelands District Municipality.

The division of Paarl was granted a Divisional Road Board in terms of Ordinance No 8 of 1843. This Board sat for the first time on 7 September 1848 and functioned until it was superseded by the Divisional Council.

The Divisional Council of Paarl was proclaimed on 9 July 1855 in terms of Act No 5 of 1855. According to the requirements of the said act, the division was divided into six districts comprising various field cornetcies. The original division was:

(1) Southern Paarl;
(2) Northern Paarl;
(3) Klein Drakenstein;
(4) Wagonmaker’s Valley and Groenberg;
(5) Paardeberg and Behind the Paarl;
(6) Great Drakenstein and Fransche Hoek

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. 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.

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. 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. The following local bodies were represented on the council:
Local Authorities
Divisional Council of the Cape
Divisional Council of Stellenbosch
Divisional Council of Paarl
Bellville Municipality
Durbanville Municipality
Goodwood Municipality
Cape Town Municipality
Milnerton Municipality
Parow Municipality
Pinelands Municipality
Simonstown Municipality
Fish Hoek Municipality
Franschhoek Municipality
Kraaifontein Municipality
Paarl Municipality
Wellington Municipality
Brackenfell Municipality
Gordon’s Bay Municipality
Kuils River Municipality
Somerset West Municipality
Stellenbosch Municipality
Strand Municipality

Management Bodies
Atlantis Management Committee
Elsies River Management Committee
Grassy Park Management Committee
Matroosfontein Management Committee
Ocean View Management Committee
Cravenby Management Committee
Macassar Management Committee
Meltonrose Management Committee
Scottsdene Management Committee
Sir Lowry’s Pass Management Committee
Proteaville Management Committee
Morningstar Management Committee
Groendal Management Committee
Kraaifontein Management Committee
Athlone and District Management Committee
Cloetesville/Idas Valley Management Committee
Kensington Management Committee
Wittebome/Wynberg Management Committee
Rylands Estate Management Committee
Sarepta Management Committee
Paarl Management Committee
Ravensmead Management Committee
Strand Management Committee
Wellington Management Committee
Cape Town Town Committee
Mfuleni Town Committee
Mbekweni Town Committee
Kaya Mandi Town Committee
Pniel Board of Management
Mamre Board of Management

At the close of the first year of the Council it consisted of 59 members representing 19 municipalities, 26 management committees and boards and 5 town committees together with 6 co-opted members.

The main function of the Western Cape Regional Services Council, as embodied in its founding Act, was to assess and collect levies and distribute funds so generated on a strict priority basis for the improvement and maintenance of infrastructural services and infrastructural facilities to areas and communities with the greatest need. The Council had to ensure that those funds were optimally and efficiently utilized in the hands of the recipients whether the allocation be by way of grant or loan, and to monitor and guide the recipients in the use of such funds.

The Administrator of the Cape entrusted the Council with a wide range of regional functions previously performed by the former divisional councils. From the nature of the historic involvement of divisional councils in matters and functions outside the urban local authority areas the entrustment of functions thus only included such functions or parts of functions which were performed in rural areas. This included:

1. Bulk water supply in rural areas
2. Retail supply of water in rural areas
3. Bulk supply of electricity in rural areas
4. Retail supply of electricity in rural areas
5. Fire brigade services in rural areas
6. Traffic matters
7. Civil protection
8. Cemeteries
9. Refuse dumps
10. Sewage purification works and main sewage disposal pipelines
11. Stormwater drainage
12. Public open spaces, roads and the lighting thereof
13. Certificates of fitness, roadworthy certificates and testing of driver’s licences
14. Nature reserves
15. Promotion of tourism
16. Pounds
17. Collection of dog tax and dog control
18. Vacuum tanker services and nightsoil removal services
19. Refuse removal services
20. Metropolitan and regional planning
21. Environment conservation
22. Passenger transport services
23. Abattoirs
24. Fresh produce markets
25. Airports
26. Private roads
27. Establishments, improvement and maintenance of other infrastructural services and facilities
28. Control of problem animals in rural areas
29. Health services
30. Subdivision of land and township development
31. Building plans and building control
32. Commonages, outspans and public places
33. Registration and control of businesses
34. Recreation facilities, public resorts, beach amenities, caravan parks and picnic sites, the use of land which were not limited to a specific population group

The Council also rendered services on a contract/agency basis to various newly created autonomous local government bodies. The following services were rendered on behalf of various principals:

1. The provision and administration of housing and everything related to it, on behalf of the House of Representatives in areas outside the areas of jurisdiction of municipalities.
2. Handling the normal full municipal operational and administrative functions relating to 43 local areas and local councils for all three Houses of Parliament.
3. The operation and administration of 8 public resorts on behalf of the Cape Provincial Administration.
4. Handling the planning, development and operation of certain new residential areas on behalf of the House of Representatives.
5. Development agent for the State for the industrial and residential areas of Atlantis.
6. Handling all functions formerly provided by the Divisional Councils of the Cape, Stellenbosch and Paarl and which did not legally became the responsibility of either Own Affairs Administrations or the Provincial Administration.
7. The provision of health services in certain black residential areas, on behalf of the Provincial Administration.
8. The provision of health services in the rural areas, 8 municipalities, 35 local areas and 8 local councils.
9. Controlling urban development in the rural areas before such areas were declared local areas.
10. Handling the administrative functions of three rural councils.
11. Handling and administration of the recovery of rates and service fees and tariffs in 43 local areas and local council areas.
12. Maintenance of proclaimed roads on behalf of the Cape Provincial Administration.

As a result of the establishment of the Cape Metropolitan Council, the Western Cape Regional Services Council was in January 1995 reconstituted as the interim Winelands Regional Services Council (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 4926 of 31 January 1995, Proclamation No 17 of 31 January 1995).