On 1 October 1878 a magistrate’s court was established at Tsomo in the Transkeian Territories (PJ Venter: Government Departments of the Cape of Good Hope, 1806 – 1910, p 295). Tsomo, as part of Fingoland, was annexed to the Cape Colony on 1 October 1879 (Government Gazette No 5950, dated 16 September 1879, Proclamation No 110, dated 15 September 1879). After the attainment of self-government by the Transkei, all records of government offices subsequent to 1 November 1963 were deposited in the Transkeian Archives Depot in Umtata (now Mthatha Archives Repository).

The Magistrate of Tsomo 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). The designation was later changed to Bantu Affairs Commissioner.

The Village Management Board of Tsomo was established on 19 April 1929 in terms of Proclamation No 129 of 1929 under provision of Ordinance No 10 of 1921 (The Province of the Cape of Good Hope Official Gazette No 1214, 5 July 1929).

From October 1976 the village of Tsomo came under the jurisdiction of the independent Transkeian Government.

In 1994 Tsomo became part of the Eastern Cape Province. It forms part of the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality, one of the local municipalities that falls under the Chris Hani District Municipality.