The Municipality of Riversdale was constituted on 6 June 1849 under provision of Ordinance No 9, 1836 (Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette, No 2271, 7 June 1849, Proclamation dated 6 June 1849).

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Municipality of Riversdale together with the Municipality of Albertinia, Gouritsmond Transitional Council, Heidelberg Transitional Council, Langeberg Transitional Representative Council, Mossel Bay Transitional Representative Council, Slangrivier Transitional Local Council and Municipality of Stilbaai was disestablished and the Langeberg (later Hessequa) Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5592, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 499, 22 September 2000). The Hessequa Local Municipality forms part of the larger Garden Route District Municipality.

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.

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 help 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 main 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 Village Management Board of Bredasdorp was created by Proclamation No 155 of 1881 in terms of the provisions of the Village Management Act of 1881.

On 3 April 1917 the Village Management Board of Bredasdorp was dissolved. The first meeting of the Municipality of Bredasdorp, created under Proclamation 17 of 1917, took place on 10 April 1917.

On 22 September 2000 the Municipality of Bredasdorp together with the Bredasdorp Transitional Representative Council, Caledon Transitional Representative Council, Napier Transitional Council and Struisbaai Transitional Local Council were disestablished and the Cape Agulhas Local Municipality was established in terms of sections 12 and 14 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette No 5591 of 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 495 of 22 September 2000). The Cape Agulhas Local Municipality forms part of the larger Overberg District Municipality.

The Swellendam Municipality was created by a proclamation dated 23 June 1843 published in Government Gazette No 1958 of 30 June 1843. The municipality was proclaimed under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 15 August 1836.

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structure Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Swellendam Municipality together with Barrydale Municipality, Bredasdorp Transitional Representative Council, Infanta Transitional Local Council, Langeberg Transitional Representative Council, Suurbraak Transitional Local Council, Swellendam Transitional Representative Council, and Wynland Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and Swellendam Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5591, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 496, 22 September 2000). The Swellendam Local Municipality forms part of the larger Overberg District Municipality. «

A Municipality was established at Franschhoek on 28 June 1881 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 Municipality for the Area of Franschhoek together with the Stellenbosch Transitional Local Council, Nuweberg Transitional Representative Council, Paarl Transitional Representative Council, Pniel Transitional Local Council and Stellenbosch Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and the Stellenbosch Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5590, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 489, 22 September 2000). The Stellenbosch Local Municipality forms part of the larger Cape Winelands District Municipality.

The Municipality of Malmesbury was constituted on 31 May 1860 under provision of Proclamation No 834 of 1860, in terms of Ordinance No 9 of 1836.

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Malmesbury Transitional Local Council together with the existing Moorreesburg Municipality, the Municipality of Darling, Koringberg Transitional Local Council, Malmesbury Transitional Representative Council and Yzerfontein Transitional Local Council was disestablished and the Swartland Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5589, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 485, 22 September 2000). The Swartland Local Municipality forms part of the larger West Coast District Municipality.

The Swellendam Municipality was created by a proclamation dated 23 June 1843 published in Government Gazette No 1958 of 30 June 1843. The municipality was proclaimed under the provisions of Ordinance No 9 of 15 August 1836.

In terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structure Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998) the existing Swellendam Municipality together with Barrydale Municipality, Bredasdorp Transitional Representative Council, Infanta Transitional Local Council, Langeberg Transitional Representative Council, Suurbraak Transitional Local Council, Swellendam Transitional Representative Council, and Wynland Transitional Representative Council was disestablished and Swellendam Local Municipality established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5591, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 496, 22 September 2000). The Swellendam Local Municipality forms part of the larger Overberg District Municipality.

On 21 December 1818, the farms Langerug and Roodedraay in the valley of the Breede River were purchased from the brothers Pieter and Wilhelm du Toit by the Cape Government for 140,000 guilders. At Roodedraay the Governor, Lord Charles Somerset placed a Deputy Landdrost under the Landdrost of Tulbagh and called the place Worcester, in honor of his brother, the Marquis of Worcester. An advertisement titled “Sale of several lots of ground, situated at the entrance of the Hex Rivers Kloof, adjacent to the new sub-drostdy Worcester” appeared in the Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser, No 723 dated 20 November 1819.

On 28 and 29 February 1820 the first sale of the plots took place when eighty- nine were sold. On 13 October 1841 in terms of the provisions of Ordinance no 9 dated 15 August 1836 titled “An ordinance for the creation of Municipal Boards in the towns and villages of this Colony, on which the local regulations of each shall be founded”, a meeting of resident householders was held at Worcester. At this meeting, certain municipal regulations were adopted and forwarded to the Governor, Sir George Napier for approval.

The approved and amended regulations, among other things stated:
The municipality of Worcester shall comprehend the town, the common pasture, and other lands formerly belonging to the places “Rodewal” and “Langerug”, in their present extent;
The town shall be divided into four wards, to each ward one wardmaster with an assistant shall be appointed by the commissioners, who shall draw out their instructions;
Three commissioners shall be elected for the Municipality … and any two of them shall form a quorum.” The council met for the first time on 5 January 1842. On 30 September 1895, Sir Hercules Robinson proclaimed the Municipality of Worcester, a municipality under the provisions of the “Municipal Act, 1882”.
The municipality was to be bounded as follows:
“North-west by Aan de Mond van Hartebeeste Rivier, Crown Land, and Hartebeeste Rivier, West by Hartebeeste Rivier, North-east by Glen Heatlie, Zeekoegats Berg, Meirings Berg, and Tweefonteinen, South-east by Meirings Berg, Annex Oude Wagendrift, Aan de Doorn Rivier, and Papenkuils Vallei, West by Oude Wagendrift, and Papenkuils Vallei, South-west by Papenkuils Vallei, and the Breede River”. The Municipal Council was to consist of six members.
Ordinance No 10 of 1912 titled “Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Law relating to Municipalities” consolidated and revised the regulations governing municipal authorities in the Cape Province. This Ordinance formed the basis of municipal government from 1912 to 1950. During this period various minor additions and amendments were made to municipal legislation in the Cape Province and these also became applicable to the Municipality of Worcester.
Under the Local Government Transition Act, 1993 (Act 209 of 1993), the local government bodies within the Worcester Forum Area, namely the Municipality for the Area of Worcester and Zweletemba Town Council, were dissolved with effect from 1 October 1994, and the Worcester Transitional Local Council was established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 4882, 30 September 1994, Proclamation No 57, 30 September 1994).
Under the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998), the existing Worcester Transitional Local Council, along with other municipalities, was disestablished, and the Breede Valley Local Municipality was established (Province of Western Cape Provincial Gazette Extraordinary No 5590, 22 September 2000, Provincial Notice No 490, 22 September 2000). The Breede Valley Local Municipality forms part of the larger Cape Winelands District Municipality.