[1] The provincial council continued to exist until 1986, when its functions were transferred to a strengthened executive authority appointed by the State President.
After 1936 in addition to the general roll electoral divisions, some additional provincial council seats were created in Cape Province for periods when black and coloured voters were still enfranchised, but had been removed from the general roll.
The South African Parliament could alter the term by legislation (as it did when the provincial elections due in 1941 were postponed until 1943), but there was no general power to dissolve a provincial council before its statutory term expired.
The administrator was appointed, by the national government, for a five-year term and could not be removed except by the Governor General for "cause assigned".
The administrator was the chairman of the provincial executive committee and had both an original and casting vote in its deliberations.