⋆ ⋆
] ]
PVL2602: Law of Succession
May/June 2025 & 2024 Exam Revision Pack
⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆
Law of Succession Private Law
Exam Revision Guide
PVL2602
Module Code:
Law of Succession
Module Name:
May/June 2025 & 2024
Paper / Exam:
50 MCQ × 2 marks each
Format:
100 marks / Duration: 2 Hours
Total Marks:
Use this guide to revise thoroughly. Focus on understanding principles and their
application.
Exam Revision Notes | PVL2602 | 2025
,PVL2602 | Exam Revision Law of Succession
PART A: May/June 2025 Exam Revision
50 Multiple-Choice Questions · 2 Marks Each · Total: 100 Marks
Exam Tip
Note: UNISA's 2025 and 2024
nal exam papers are distributed exclusively via myU-
nisa to registered students. The questions below are carefully reconstructed from con-
rmed PVL2602 exam question patterns, tutorial letters, and authoritative study mate-
rials, covering every testable topic. They are representative of the actual exam format.
Page 2 of 48
,PVL2602 | Exam Revision Law of Succession
Questions 110: Intestate Succession 20 marks
Question 1 2 marks
Question: Ted died intestate and left the following relatives: his mother Mary; his half-
sister Candy (same mother, dierent father); his half-brother Ben (same father, dierent
mother father predeceased); and his full-blood sister Sarah. Who will inherit Ted's es-
tate?
[1] Mary will inherit the whole estate.
[2] Mary inherits half; the other half is shared equally by Ben and Sarah.
[3] Mary inherits half; the other half is shared equally by Candy, Ben and Sarah.
[4] Mary inherits half and Sarah inherits the other half.
Answer: Correct answer: [4] Mary inherits half and Sarah inherits the other
half.
Key Concept
Under the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987 (ISA), when a deceased
leaves no spouse or descendants, the estate is divided as follows: if both parents
survive, each gets half; if only one parent survives, that parent gets half and the
other half goes to the deceased's full-blood siblings (who share both parents).
Ted has no spouse or descendants, so his estate falls to his parents and/or collateral
relatives.
Only his mother Mary survives as a parent she takes half the estate.
The other half goes to Ted's full-blood siblings of the surviving parent (Mary's
side). Sarah shares both parents with Ted, so she quali
es.
Candy shares only the mother with Ted (half-blood via mother) she would share in
the maternal half only if there were no full-blood siblings; since Sarah is a full-blood
sibling, Sarah excludes Candy from the maternal half.
Ben is a half-blood paternal sibling (same father, dierent mother) since Ted's
father is predeceased, Ben does not qualify for the paternal half either; the paternal
half accrues to Mary as the only surviving ascendant.
Result: Mary =
1 1
2 ; Sarah = 2 .
Page 3 of 48
, PVL2602 | Exam Revision Law of Succession
Question 2 2 marks
Question: A child's portion in intestate succession is calculated as follows:
[1] The value of the estate divided by the number of stirpes plus the number of surviving
spouses.
[2] The value of the estate divided by the number of children plus the number of surviving
spouses.
[3] R250 000.
[4] R125 000.
Answer: Correct answer: [1] The value of the estate divided by the number
of stirpes plus the number of surviving spouses.
Key Concept
A child's portion (kindsdeel) is calculated by dividing the value of the intes-
tate estate by the number of stirpes (family lines each living child counts as one
stirps, and each predeceased child who is represented by living descendants also
counts as one stirps) plus the number of surviving spouses.
The formula ensures each line of descent (stirps) gets an equal share.
A surviving spouse inherits the child's portion or R250 000, whichever is the greater
but the calculation of the child's portion uses stirpes + spouses as the denomina-
tor.
Option [3] and [4] are
xed amounts, not a formula incorrect.
Option [2] is incorrect because it uses number of children (which ignores representa-
tion) rather than stirpes.
Question 3 2 marks
Question: Xavier dies intestate and leaves behind: his wife Wendy (married in com-
munity of property); his son Abel (predeceased, survived by children Paul and John); his
daughter Bethany; and his son Charles. The joint estate is worth R1 200 000. What does
Wendy receive?
[1] Wendy receives R250 000 as her intestate inheritance.
[2] Wendy receives R400 000 as her intestate inheritance.
[3] Wendy receives R600 000 as her half-share of the joint estate, plus R200 000 as intes-
Page 4 of 48
] ]
PVL2602: Law of Succession
May/June 2025 & 2024 Exam Revision Pack
⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆ ⋄ ⋆
Law of Succession Private Law
Exam Revision Guide
PVL2602
Module Code:
Law of Succession
Module Name:
May/June 2025 & 2024
Paper / Exam:
50 MCQ × 2 marks each
Format:
100 marks / Duration: 2 Hours
Total Marks:
Use this guide to revise thoroughly. Focus on understanding principles and their
application.
Exam Revision Notes | PVL2602 | 2025
,PVL2602 | Exam Revision Law of Succession
PART A: May/June 2025 Exam Revision
50 Multiple-Choice Questions · 2 Marks Each · Total: 100 Marks
Exam Tip
Note: UNISA's 2025 and 2024
nal exam papers are distributed exclusively via myU-
nisa to registered students. The questions below are carefully reconstructed from con-
rmed PVL2602 exam question patterns, tutorial letters, and authoritative study mate-
rials, covering every testable topic. They are representative of the actual exam format.
Page 2 of 48
,PVL2602 | Exam Revision Law of Succession
Questions 110: Intestate Succession 20 marks
Question 1 2 marks
Question: Ted died intestate and left the following relatives: his mother Mary; his half-
sister Candy (same mother, dierent father); his half-brother Ben (same father, dierent
mother father predeceased); and his full-blood sister Sarah. Who will inherit Ted's es-
tate?
[1] Mary will inherit the whole estate.
[2] Mary inherits half; the other half is shared equally by Ben and Sarah.
[3] Mary inherits half; the other half is shared equally by Candy, Ben and Sarah.
[4] Mary inherits half and Sarah inherits the other half.
Answer: Correct answer: [4] Mary inherits half and Sarah inherits the other
half.
Key Concept
Under the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987 (ISA), when a deceased
leaves no spouse or descendants, the estate is divided as follows: if both parents
survive, each gets half; if only one parent survives, that parent gets half and the
other half goes to the deceased's full-blood siblings (who share both parents).
Ted has no spouse or descendants, so his estate falls to his parents and/or collateral
relatives.
Only his mother Mary survives as a parent she takes half the estate.
The other half goes to Ted's full-blood siblings of the surviving parent (Mary's
side). Sarah shares both parents with Ted, so she quali
es.
Candy shares only the mother with Ted (half-blood via mother) she would share in
the maternal half only if there were no full-blood siblings; since Sarah is a full-blood
sibling, Sarah excludes Candy from the maternal half.
Ben is a half-blood paternal sibling (same father, dierent mother) since Ted's
father is predeceased, Ben does not qualify for the paternal half either; the paternal
half accrues to Mary as the only surviving ascendant.
Result: Mary =
1 1
2 ; Sarah = 2 .
Page 3 of 48
, PVL2602 | Exam Revision Law of Succession
Question 2 2 marks
Question: A child's portion in intestate succession is calculated as follows:
[1] The value of the estate divided by the number of stirpes plus the number of surviving
spouses.
[2] The value of the estate divided by the number of children plus the number of surviving
spouses.
[3] R250 000.
[4] R125 000.
Answer: Correct answer: [1] The value of the estate divided by the number
of stirpes plus the number of surviving spouses.
Key Concept
A child's portion (kindsdeel) is calculated by dividing the value of the intes-
tate estate by the number of stirpes (family lines each living child counts as one
stirps, and each predeceased child who is represented by living descendants also
counts as one stirps) plus the number of surviving spouses.
The formula ensures each line of descent (stirps) gets an equal share.
A surviving spouse inherits the child's portion or R250 000, whichever is the greater
but the calculation of the child's portion uses stirpes + spouses as the denomina-
tor.
Option [3] and [4] are
xed amounts, not a formula incorrect.
Option [2] is incorrect because it uses number of children (which ignores representa-
tion) rather than stirpes.
Question 3 2 marks
Question: Xavier dies intestate and leaves behind: his wife Wendy (married in com-
munity of property); his son Abel (predeceased, survived by children Paul and John); his
daughter Bethany; and his son Charles. The joint estate is worth R1 200 000. What does
Wendy receive?
[1] Wendy receives R250 000 as her intestate inheritance.
[2] Wendy receives R400 000 as her intestate inheritance.
[3] Wendy receives R600 000 as her half-share of the joint estate, plus R200 000 as intes-
Page 4 of 48
