PVL3701 Assignment 1 Semester 2 -Verified MCQ
Answers & Explanations - Property Law UNISA 2026
This comprehensive document contains verified multiple-choice questions and
answers for PVL3701 Assignment 1 Semester 2, covering all essential topics
including ownership, possession, accession, real vs personal rights, servitudes,
and the rei vindicatio. Each question is presented with the correct answer in bold
italic format, accompanied by a detailed explanation in bold italic to ensure
thorough understanding of South African property law principles. Perfect for
exam preparation, this resource is meticulously organized and updated for the
2026 academic year, making it the ultimate study tool for UNISA property law
students.
Question 1
What is the most accurate description of "property law" in the South
African legal context?
A) The law governing contractual relationships between individuals.
B) The law regulating the relationship between a person and the state.
C) The legal rules concerning the relationship between a legal subject and a thing.
D) The law pertaining only to immovable property like land and houses.
,Answer: C) The legal rules concerning the relationship between a legal
subject and a thing.
Explanation: Property law is a branch of private law that regulates the legal
relationships between legal subjects (persons) and legal objects (things). It
does not govern contractual relationships (that is contract law), nor is it
limited to immovable property. It encompasses the entire spectrum of
rights and obligations relating to things, both movable and immovable.
Question 2
Which of the following is NOT an essential characteristic of a "thing" in the
juridical sense?
A) Useful to and of value to humans.
B) Susceptible to human control.
C) Must be a tangible, corporeal object.
D) Exist independently of a person.
Answer: C) Must be a tangible, corporeal object.
Explanation: While many things are corporeal (tangible), the juridical
concept of a "thing" also includes incorporeal things such as rights (e.g.,
servitudes, intellectual property). The essential characteristics include
being independent, subject to human control, and of value to humans, but
corporeality is not an absolute requirement. Incorporeal things like patents,
copyrights, and trademarks are recognized as legal objects.
,Question 3
A patent, a copyright, and a trademark are all examples of what type of
thing?
A) Corporeal things.
B) Immovable property.
C) Incorporeal things.
D) Public property.
Answer: C) Incorporeal things.
Explanation: Patents, copyrights, and trademarks are intellectual property
rights. They are not physical (corporeal) objects that can be touched, nor
are they immovable property like land. They represent a bundle of rights
and are therefore classified as incorporeal things or rights, which are still
recognized as legal objects capable of being owned and transferred.
Question 4
The distinction between corporeal and incorporeal things is based on
whether the thing:
A) Is movable or immovable.
B) Has a physical existence or is a mere right.
C) Is registered or unregistered.
D) Is publicly or privately owned.
Answer: B) Has a physical existence or is a mere right.
, Explanation: Corporeal things have a physical, tangible existence that can be
perceived by the senses (e.g., a car, a book, a house). Incorporeal things
lack physical existence; they are intangible rights or claims (e.g., a right of
way, a usufruct, a claim for damages). This distinction is fundamental to
property law classification.
Question 5
Res universitatis refers to property owned by:
A) A single individual.
B) The state.
C) A legal person, like a municipality, for the common use of its members.
D) A married couple in community of property.
Answer: C) A legal person, like a municipality, for the common use of its
members.
Explanation: Res universitatis refers to public things owned by a legal
person such as a municipality or the state, but intended for the use of the
public or its members. Examples include public parks, town halls, and public
roads. These are distinguished from res publicae (things owned by the state
for public use) and res communes (things common to all, like air and sea).
Question 6
A real right is best described as a:
Answers & Explanations - Property Law UNISA 2026
This comprehensive document contains verified multiple-choice questions and
answers for PVL3701 Assignment 1 Semester 2, covering all essential topics
including ownership, possession, accession, real vs personal rights, servitudes,
and the rei vindicatio. Each question is presented with the correct answer in bold
italic format, accompanied by a detailed explanation in bold italic to ensure
thorough understanding of South African property law principles. Perfect for
exam preparation, this resource is meticulously organized and updated for the
2026 academic year, making it the ultimate study tool for UNISA property law
students.
Question 1
What is the most accurate description of "property law" in the South
African legal context?
A) The law governing contractual relationships between individuals.
B) The law regulating the relationship between a person and the state.
C) The legal rules concerning the relationship between a legal subject and a thing.
D) The law pertaining only to immovable property like land and houses.
,Answer: C) The legal rules concerning the relationship between a legal
subject and a thing.
Explanation: Property law is a branch of private law that regulates the legal
relationships between legal subjects (persons) and legal objects (things). It
does not govern contractual relationships (that is contract law), nor is it
limited to immovable property. It encompasses the entire spectrum of
rights and obligations relating to things, both movable and immovable.
Question 2
Which of the following is NOT an essential characteristic of a "thing" in the
juridical sense?
A) Useful to and of value to humans.
B) Susceptible to human control.
C) Must be a tangible, corporeal object.
D) Exist independently of a person.
Answer: C) Must be a tangible, corporeal object.
Explanation: While many things are corporeal (tangible), the juridical
concept of a "thing" also includes incorporeal things such as rights (e.g.,
servitudes, intellectual property). The essential characteristics include
being independent, subject to human control, and of value to humans, but
corporeality is not an absolute requirement. Incorporeal things like patents,
copyrights, and trademarks are recognized as legal objects.
,Question 3
A patent, a copyright, and a trademark are all examples of what type of
thing?
A) Corporeal things.
B) Immovable property.
C) Incorporeal things.
D) Public property.
Answer: C) Incorporeal things.
Explanation: Patents, copyrights, and trademarks are intellectual property
rights. They are not physical (corporeal) objects that can be touched, nor
are they immovable property like land. They represent a bundle of rights
and are therefore classified as incorporeal things or rights, which are still
recognized as legal objects capable of being owned and transferred.
Question 4
The distinction between corporeal and incorporeal things is based on
whether the thing:
A) Is movable or immovable.
B) Has a physical existence or is a mere right.
C) Is registered or unregistered.
D) Is publicly or privately owned.
Answer: B) Has a physical existence or is a mere right.
, Explanation: Corporeal things have a physical, tangible existence that can be
perceived by the senses (e.g., a car, a book, a house). Incorporeal things
lack physical existence; they are intangible rights or claims (e.g., a right of
way, a usufruct, a claim for damages). This distinction is fundamental to
property law classification.
Question 5
Res universitatis refers to property owned by:
A) A single individual.
B) The state.
C) A legal person, like a municipality, for the common use of its members.
D) A married couple in community of property.
Answer: C) A legal person, like a municipality, for the common use of its
members.
Explanation: Res universitatis refers to public things owned by a legal
person such as a municipality or the state, but intended for the use of the
public or its members. Examples include public parks, town halls, and public
roads. These are distinguished from res publicae (things owned by the state
for public use) and res communes (things common to all, like air and sea).
Question 6
A real right is best described as a:
