Academic Year 2026–2027 UNISA Assignment: CRW2602 Specific
Offences Fully Solved Assignment with Verified Answers | Assault, Theft,
Robbery, Murder, Fraud, Sexual Offences and South African Criminal Law
Case Applications
Question 1: In South African criminal law, which of the following elements is NOT
required to prove the crime of murder?
A. Unlawful killing of a human being
B. Intention (dolus) to kill or cause grievous bodily harm
C. Pre-meditation and planning of the killing
D. Causation between the accused's conduct and the death
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Pre-meditation and planning of the killing
Rationale: Murder in South African law requires the unlawful and intentional killing of
another human being. The essential elements are: (1) unlawful conduct, (2) causing the
death of a person, (3) intention (dolus), which may include dolus directus, indirectus, or
eventualis. Pre-meditation is not a legal requirement for murder; it may be relevant for
sentencing or distinguishing degrees in other jurisdictions, but South African law does
not recognise degrees of murder.
Question 2: Which defence, if successfully raised, would completely exclude
unlawfulness in a homicide case?
A. Provocation
B. Private defence
C. Intoxication
D. Youth of the accused
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Private defence
Rationale: Private defence (self-defence) is a ground of justification that, if proven,
renders conduct lawful and thus excludes unlawfulness. Provocation and intoxication
may affect culpability (mens rea) but do not render the act lawful. Youth may impact
criminal capacity but does not address unlawfulness directly.
Question 3: Culpable homicide differs from murder primarily in respect of which
element?
A. The unlawfulness of the conduct
B. The causation of death
C. The mental state (mens rea) of the perpetrator
D. The identity of the victim
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The mental state (mens rea) of the perpetrator
Rationale: Both murder and culpable homicide involve the unlawful causing of death.
The distinguishing factor is the mental element: murder requires intention (dolus),
whereas culpable homicide involves negligence (culpa). The other elements—
unlawfulness, causation, and victim identity—are common to both offences.
,Question 4: In the context of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, what
does "grievous bodily harm" generally refer to?
A. Any physical contact without consent
B. Harm that is serious or dangerous to health, though not necessarily permanent
C. Harm that results in permanent disfigurement only
D. Psychological harm without physical injury
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Harm that is serious or dangerous to health, though not
necessarily permanent
Rationale: Grievous bodily harm in South African law denotes harm that is serious or
dangerous to health, which may include fractures, severe bruising, or injuries requiring
significant medical intervention. It does not require permanence (option C) nor is it
limited to psychological harm (option D). Simple assault (option A) involves lesser
interference.
Question 5: Which of the following scenarios would most likely constitute robbery
rather than theft?
A. Taking a wallet from an unattended bag in a library
B. Snatching a handbag from a pedestrian while running away
C. Using violence to take a cellphone from a victim's hand
D. Receiving stolen goods knowing they were stolen
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Using violence to take a cellphone from a victim's hand
Rationale: Robbery is defined as theft aggravated by the use of violence or threats of
violence to overcome resistance or to facilitate the taking. Option C involves violence
during the appropriation, satisfying the definition. Option B may constitute theft or
possibly robbery if violence is used, but snatching alone may not always meet the
threshold. Option A is simple theft; option D is receiving stolen property.
Question 6: The crime of theft requires "contrectatio". What does this term mean?
A. The intention to permanently deprive the owner of property
B. The unlawful appropriation of property belonging to another
C. The physical handling or interference with the property
D. The deception used to obtain the property
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The physical handling or interference with the property
Rationale: Contrectatio refers to the physical act of handling, moving, or interfering with
the property, which forms part of the actus reus of theft. While appropriation (option B)
is broader, contrectatio specifically denotes the physical element. Intention to deprive
(option A) relates to mens rea, and deception (option D) pertains to fraud.
Question 7: In fraud, the misrepresentation must be made:
,A. Only in writing to be actionable
B. With the intention to deceive and cause prejudice
C. To a government official exclusively
D. After the prejudice has already occurred
CORRECT ANSWER: B. With the intention to deceive and cause prejudice
Rationale: Fraud requires a wrongful, intentional misrepresentation that causes actual
prejudice or potential prejudice to another. The misrepresentation may be oral, written,
or by conduct (not limited to writing). It must precede the prejudice, and it need not be
directed at a government official.
Question 8: Which offence is committed when a person intentionally and
unlawfully sets fire to immovable property belonging to another?
A. Malicious injury to property
B. Arson
C. Public violence
D. Trespass
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Arson
Rationale: Arson is the intentional and unlawful setting fire to immovable property
(buildings, structures) belonging to another. Malicious injury to property (option A)
covers damage to both movable and immovable property but does not specifically
require fire. Public violence and trespass are distinct offences with different elements.
Question 9: Extortion differs from robbery in that extortion:
A. Always involves immediate violence
B. Involves threats of future harm to obtain an advantage
C. Requires the taking of movable property only
D. Cannot be committed against a juristic person
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Involves threats of future harm to obtain an advantage
Rationale: Extortion involves unlawfully and intentionally applying pressure (threats of
future harm, exposure, etc.) to induce someone to part with property or an advantage.
Robbery involves immediate violence or threats to overcome resistance during the
taking. Extortion may target movable or immovable property and can be committed
against natural or juristic persons.
Question 10: Kidnapping in South African law is defined as the unlawful and
intentional:
A. Confinement of a person within a specific area
B. Deprivation of a person's freedom of movement
C. Removal of a person from one place to another without consent
D. Both B and C
, CORRECT ANSWER: D. Both B and C
Rationale: Kidnapping involves the unlawful and intentional deprivation of a person's
freedom of movement, which may include confinement or removal from one place to
another without consent. Both elements (B and C) capture the essence of the offence.
Option A is too narrow, as confinement alone may constitute unlawful detention but not
necessarily kidnapping.
Question 11: Which of the following is NOT an element of the crime of perjury?
A. Making a false statement under oath or affirmation
B. The statement must be material to the proceedings
C. The accused must have intended to mislead the court
D. The proceedings must be criminal in nature
CORRECT ANSWER: D. The proceedings must be criminal in nature
Rationale: Perjury can be committed in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding,
whether civil or criminal, where a lawful oath or affirmation is administered. The
essential elements are: false statement, under oath/affirmation, materiality, and
intention to mislead. The nature of the proceedings (civil or criminal) is not
determinative.
Question 12: The offence of corruption under the Prevention and Combating of
Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 includes:
A. Only bribery of public officials
B. Offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting any gratification to influence improper
conduct
C. Only acts committed by private sector employees
D. Conduct that occurs exclusively within South African borders
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting any gratification to
influence improper conduct
Rationale: The Act defines corruption broadly to include any person who offers, gives,
receives, or solicits gratification to induce improper performance of a duty, whether in
public or private sectors. It has extraterritorial application in certain circumstances.
Options A, C, and D are unduly restrictive.
Question 13: In the context of sexual offences, what does "consent" legally require
under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32
of 2007?
A. Mere silence or lack of resistance
B. A voluntary and uncoerced agreement by a person with capacity to consent
C. Agreement obtained through persuasion or emotional pressure
D. Consent given by a third party on behalf of the victim
Offences Fully Solved Assignment with Verified Answers | Assault, Theft,
Robbery, Murder, Fraud, Sexual Offences and South African Criminal Law
Case Applications
Question 1: In South African criminal law, which of the following elements is NOT
required to prove the crime of murder?
A. Unlawful killing of a human being
B. Intention (dolus) to kill or cause grievous bodily harm
C. Pre-meditation and planning of the killing
D. Causation between the accused's conduct and the death
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Pre-meditation and planning of the killing
Rationale: Murder in South African law requires the unlawful and intentional killing of
another human being. The essential elements are: (1) unlawful conduct, (2) causing the
death of a person, (3) intention (dolus), which may include dolus directus, indirectus, or
eventualis. Pre-meditation is not a legal requirement for murder; it may be relevant for
sentencing or distinguishing degrees in other jurisdictions, but South African law does
not recognise degrees of murder.
Question 2: Which defence, if successfully raised, would completely exclude
unlawfulness in a homicide case?
A. Provocation
B. Private defence
C. Intoxication
D. Youth of the accused
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Private defence
Rationale: Private defence (self-defence) is a ground of justification that, if proven,
renders conduct lawful and thus excludes unlawfulness. Provocation and intoxication
may affect culpability (mens rea) but do not render the act lawful. Youth may impact
criminal capacity but does not address unlawfulness directly.
Question 3: Culpable homicide differs from murder primarily in respect of which
element?
A. The unlawfulness of the conduct
B. The causation of death
C. The mental state (mens rea) of the perpetrator
D. The identity of the victim
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The mental state (mens rea) of the perpetrator
Rationale: Both murder and culpable homicide involve the unlawful causing of death.
The distinguishing factor is the mental element: murder requires intention (dolus),
whereas culpable homicide involves negligence (culpa). The other elements—
unlawfulness, causation, and victim identity—are common to both offences.
,Question 4: In the context of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, what
does "grievous bodily harm" generally refer to?
A. Any physical contact without consent
B. Harm that is serious or dangerous to health, though not necessarily permanent
C. Harm that results in permanent disfigurement only
D. Psychological harm without physical injury
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Harm that is serious or dangerous to health, though not
necessarily permanent
Rationale: Grievous bodily harm in South African law denotes harm that is serious or
dangerous to health, which may include fractures, severe bruising, or injuries requiring
significant medical intervention. It does not require permanence (option C) nor is it
limited to psychological harm (option D). Simple assault (option A) involves lesser
interference.
Question 5: Which of the following scenarios would most likely constitute robbery
rather than theft?
A. Taking a wallet from an unattended bag in a library
B. Snatching a handbag from a pedestrian while running away
C. Using violence to take a cellphone from a victim's hand
D. Receiving stolen goods knowing they were stolen
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Using violence to take a cellphone from a victim's hand
Rationale: Robbery is defined as theft aggravated by the use of violence or threats of
violence to overcome resistance or to facilitate the taking. Option C involves violence
during the appropriation, satisfying the definition. Option B may constitute theft or
possibly robbery if violence is used, but snatching alone may not always meet the
threshold. Option A is simple theft; option D is receiving stolen property.
Question 6: The crime of theft requires "contrectatio". What does this term mean?
A. The intention to permanently deprive the owner of property
B. The unlawful appropriation of property belonging to another
C. The physical handling or interference with the property
D. The deception used to obtain the property
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The physical handling or interference with the property
Rationale: Contrectatio refers to the physical act of handling, moving, or interfering with
the property, which forms part of the actus reus of theft. While appropriation (option B)
is broader, contrectatio specifically denotes the physical element. Intention to deprive
(option A) relates to mens rea, and deception (option D) pertains to fraud.
Question 7: In fraud, the misrepresentation must be made:
,A. Only in writing to be actionable
B. With the intention to deceive and cause prejudice
C. To a government official exclusively
D. After the prejudice has already occurred
CORRECT ANSWER: B. With the intention to deceive and cause prejudice
Rationale: Fraud requires a wrongful, intentional misrepresentation that causes actual
prejudice or potential prejudice to another. The misrepresentation may be oral, written,
or by conduct (not limited to writing). It must precede the prejudice, and it need not be
directed at a government official.
Question 8: Which offence is committed when a person intentionally and
unlawfully sets fire to immovable property belonging to another?
A. Malicious injury to property
B. Arson
C. Public violence
D. Trespass
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Arson
Rationale: Arson is the intentional and unlawful setting fire to immovable property
(buildings, structures) belonging to another. Malicious injury to property (option A)
covers damage to both movable and immovable property but does not specifically
require fire. Public violence and trespass are distinct offences with different elements.
Question 9: Extortion differs from robbery in that extortion:
A. Always involves immediate violence
B. Involves threats of future harm to obtain an advantage
C. Requires the taking of movable property only
D. Cannot be committed against a juristic person
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Involves threats of future harm to obtain an advantage
Rationale: Extortion involves unlawfully and intentionally applying pressure (threats of
future harm, exposure, etc.) to induce someone to part with property or an advantage.
Robbery involves immediate violence or threats to overcome resistance during the
taking. Extortion may target movable or immovable property and can be committed
against natural or juristic persons.
Question 10: Kidnapping in South African law is defined as the unlawful and
intentional:
A. Confinement of a person within a specific area
B. Deprivation of a person's freedom of movement
C. Removal of a person from one place to another without consent
D. Both B and C
, CORRECT ANSWER: D. Both B and C
Rationale: Kidnapping involves the unlawful and intentional deprivation of a person's
freedom of movement, which may include confinement or removal from one place to
another without consent. Both elements (B and C) capture the essence of the offence.
Option A is too narrow, as confinement alone may constitute unlawful detention but not
necessarily kidnapping.
Question 11: Which of the following is NOT an element of the crime of perjury?
A. Making a false statement under oath or affirmation
B. The statement must be material to the proceedings
C. The accused must have intended to mislead the court
D. The proceedings must be criminal in nature
CORRECT ANSWER: D. The proceedings must be criminal in nature
Rationale: Perjury can be committed in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding,
whether civil or criminal, where a lawful oath or affirmation is administered. The
essential elements are: false statement, under oath/affirmation, materiality, and
intention to mislead. The nature of the proceedings (civil or criminal) is not
determinative.
Question 12: The offence of corruption under the Prevention and Combating of
Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 includes:
A. Only bribery of public officials
B. Offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting any gratification to influence improper
conduct
C. Only acts committed by private sector employees
D. Conduct that occurs exclusively within South African borders
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting any gratification to
influence improper conduct
Rationale: The Act defines corruption broadly to include any person who offers, gives,
receives, or solicits gratification to induce improper performance of a duty, whether in
public or private sectors. It has extraterritorial application in certain circumstances.
Options A, C, and D are unduly restrictive.
Question 13: In the context of sexual offences, what does "consent" legally require
under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32
of 2007?
A. Mere silence or lack of resistance
B. A voluntary and uncoerced agreement by a person with capacity to consent
C. Agreement obtained through persuasion or emotional pressure
D. Consent given by a third party on behalf of the victim
