Named for the Liesbeek River, the seat covered various areas on what was then the eastern edge of Cape Town.

When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, the electoral qualifications in use in each pre-existing colony were kept in place.

The first challenge to the Cape Qualified Franchise came with the Women's Enfranchisement Act, 1930 and the Franchise Laws Amendment Act, 1931, which extended the vote to women and removed property qualifications for the white population only – non-white voters remained subject to the earlier restrictions.

In 1936, the Representation of Natives Act removed all black voters from the common electoral roll and introduced three “Native Representative Members”, white MPs elected by the black voters of the province and meant to represent their interests in particular.

[1] When initially created, Liesbeek was a suburban seat centred on Salt River and Mowbray, but the creation of Rondebosch in 1915 forced it out to the eastern margins of the city.