Succession Rules Semester 2
Table of Contents
Topic 1: Capacity to Benefit Under a Will............................................................................2
Persons Capable of Inheriting.......................................................................................................3
Beneficiaries Who are Minors........................................................................................................................3
Persons of Unsound Mind..............................................................................................................................6
Insolvents........................................................................................................................................................7
Persons Disqualified from Inheriting............................................................................................7
The Murderous Beneficiary............................................................................................................................7
The Indignus..................................................................................................................................................11
Disqualification in terms of S4(A) of the Wills Act........................................................................................12
Effect of Disqualification.............................................................................................................13
Topic 2: Testamentary Succession....................................................................................14
Introduction and Limitations on Freedom of Testation...............................................................14
Constitutionality of Testamentary Provisions..............................................................................................15
Contra Boni Mores Conditions......................................................................................................................20
Other Statutes Limiting Freedom of Testation.............................................................................................21
Possible Claims Against the Estate..............................................................................................22
Maintenance of Children and Grandchildren...............................................................................................22
Maintenance of Surviving Spouse................................................................................................................24
Delegation of Testamentary Capacity.........................................................................................25
Topic 3: Content of Wills...................................................................................................29
Introduction and Recap..............................................................................................................30
Bequests.....................................................................................................................................30
Time Clauses...............................................................................................................................32
Conditions..................................................................................................................................33
Modus (Obligation).....................................................................................................................36
Direct Substitution (Express and Implied Alternative Substitution)............................................39
Implied Fideicommissum..............................................................................................................................43
Usufructs....................................................................................................................................44
Common Law Accrual.................................................................................................................46
Joint/mutual wills, massing, and the doctrine of election...........................................................47
Topic 4: Interpretation, Rectification and Variation of Wills.............................................50
Interpretation of Wills................................................................................................................50
Statutory Rules of Interpretation.................................................................................................................51
Common Law Rules of Interpretation .........................................................................................................53
Variation of Wills.......................................................................................................................57
Rectification...............................................................................................................................58
Topic 5: Collation..............................................................................................................59
, Introduction to Collation............................................................................................................59
Technicalities of Collation...........................................................................................................62
Topic 6: Pacta Successoria vs Donatio Mortis Causa.........................................................65
What is pactum successorium?...................................................................................................65
How to identify a pactum successorium?....................................................................................67
Valid Forms of Pactum................................................................................................................71
General Rules
Important definition or explanation
Important aspects of a case
Details to note
Topic 1: Capacity to Benefit Under a Will
,Persons Capable of Inheriting
General Rule of Capacity to Benefit Under a Will
General Rule: Juristic persons are competent to inherit (testate), and all-natural
persons, born or unborn, are competent to inherit testate or intestate regardless of
their legal capacity.
o So all natural persons are capable of acquiring a VESTED RIGHT to an
inheritance (remember a vested right to an inheritance is different to a right
to enjoy the inheritance – these two rights come into existence at different
times)
So: A person who is a major (over 18 years), who is of sound mind and
who is not insolvent and who does not repudiate an inheritance = will
acquire a vested right AND unrestricted enjoyment of the inheritance.
o In Intestate Succession only natural persons can inherit but there is nothing
precluding a testator from nominating a juristic person (includes a company
or CC) as a beneficiary in a will
Therefore the right to claim the inheritance will vest in the company
or CC unless the authorized company director or CC member
repudiates the inheritance
Summary of persons capable of inheriting:
o Juristic persons under testate succession (but not under intestate succession)
o All natural persons under both testate and intestate succession
Note: Capacity to benefit from a will is unaffected by their legal capacity so people
without legal capacity (minors and persons of unsound mind) can still have capacity
to inherit
Note: capacity to inherit is not the same as testamentary capacity
o Capacity to inherit: the beneficiaries ability to inherit
o Testamentary capacity: the capacity to make a will
Beneficiaries Who are Minors
, General Rule: A minor has the capacity to inherit BUT their ability to enjoy the
inheritance is restricted
o The inherited property is administered by the minor’s guardian + the office of
the Master of the High Court exercising a supervisory function
o If there is no guardian then enjoyment of the property will be regulated by a
court-appointed guardian or curator bonis
Moveable vs Immoveable Property Inherited by a Minor
There is a difference between how movable and immovable property inherited by the minor
is administered.
Moveable property
General rule: The minor’s capacity to exercise all the rights of ownership in the
movable property = limited and their guardian administers the inherited moveable
property
o The minor will acquire vested right to the property when the deceased dies
and will receive full rights of ownership when they turn 18
In the case where the minor dies after the deceased:
o The property will form part of the minor’s estate and will be transferrable to
the heirs of the minor unless there is a contrary indication in the deceased’s
will who made specific instructions for such a case
In the case where it is money that is left to the minor:
o The minor acquires a vested right to the money BUT it will not be physically
given to the minor and the money will also not be given to the guardian to
avoid exploitation and over-expenditure
o The Administration of Estates Act: rule = the money is instead put in the
Guardian’s Fund.
The minor’s guardian is allowed to withdraw money from the fund to
take care of the minor’s maintenance.
The Master may not disburse funds towards the maintenance of a
minor “without the sanction” of a court if the amount required
Table of Contents
Topic 1: Capacity to Benefit Under a Will............................................................................2
Persons Capable of Inheriting.......................................................................................................3
Beneficiaries Who are Minors........................................................................................................................3
Persons of Unsound Mind..............................................................................................................................6
Insolvents........................................................................................................................................................7
Persons Disqualified from Inheriting............................................................................................7
The Murderous Beneficiary............................................................................................................................7
The Indignus..................................................................................................................................................11
Disqualification in terms of S4(A) of the Wills Act........................................................................................12
Effect of Disqualification.............................................................................................................13
Topic 2: Testamentary Succession....................................................................................14
Introduction and Limitations on Freedom of Testation...............................................................14
Constitutionality of Testamentary Provisions..............................................................................................15
Contra Boni Mores Conditions......................................................................................................................20
Other Statutes Limiting Freedom of Testation.............................................................................................21
Possible Claims Against the Estate..............................................................................................22
Maintenance of Children and Grandchildren...............................................................................................22
Maintenance of Surviving Spouse................................................................................................................24
Delegation of Testamentary Capacity.........................................................................................25
Topic 3: Content of Wills...................................................................................................29
Introduction and Recap..............................................................................................................30
Bequests.....................................................................................................................................30
Time Clauses...............................................................................................................................32
Conditions..................................................................................................................................33
Modus (Obligation).....................................................................................................................36
Direct Substitution (Express and Implied Alternative Substitution)............................................39
Implied Fideicommissum..............................................................................................................................43
Usufructs....................................................................................................................................44
Common Law Accrual.................................................................................................................46
Joint/mutual wills, massing, and the doctrine of election...........................................................47
Topic 4: Interpretation, Rectification and Variation of Wills.............................................50
Interpretation of Wills................................................................................................................50
Statutory Rules of Interpretation.................................................................................................................51
Common Law Rules of Interpretation .........................................................................................................53
Variation of Wills.......................................................................................................................57
Rectification...............................................................................................................................58
Topic 5: Collation..............................................................................................................59
, Introduction to Collation............................................................................................................59
Technicalities of Collation...........................................................................................................62
Topic 6: Pacta Successoria vs Donatio Mortis Causa.........................................................65
What is pactum successorium?...................................................................................................65
How to identify a pactum successorium?....................................................................................67
Valid Forms of Pactum................................................................................................................71
General Rules
Important definition or explanation
Important aspects of a case
Details to note
Topic 1: Capacity to Benefit Under a Will
,Persons Capable of Inheriting
General Rule of Capacity to Benefit Under a Will
General Rule: Juristic persons are competent to inherit (testate), and all-natural
persons, born or unborn, are competent to inherit testate or intestate regardless of
their legal capacity.
o So all natural persons are capable of acquiring a VESTED RIGHT to an
inheritance (remember a vested right to an inheritance is different to a right
to enjoy the inheritance – these two rights come into existence at different
times)
So: A person who is a major (over 18 years), who is of sound mind and
who is not insolvent and who does not repudiate an inheritance = will
acquire a vested right AND unrestricted enjoyment of the inheritance.
o In Intestate Succession only natural persons can inherit but there is nothing
precluding a testator from nominating a juristic person (includes a company
or CC) as a beneficiary in a will
Therefore the right to claim the inheritance will vest in the company
or CC unless the authorized company director or CC member
repudiates the inheritance
Summary of persons capable of inheriting:
o Juristic persons under testate succession (but not under intestate succession)
o All natural persons under both testate and intestate succession
Note: Capacity to benefit from a will is unaffected by their legal capacity so people
without legal capacity (minors and persons of unsound mind) can still have capacity
to inherit
Note: capacity to inherit is not the same as testamentary capacity
o Capacity to inherit: the beneficiaries ability to inherit
o Testamentary capacity: the capacity to make a will
Beneficiaries Who are Minors
, General Rule: A minor has the capacity to inherit BUT their ability to enjoy the
inheritance is restricted
o The inherited property is administered by the minor’s guardian + the office of
the Master of the High Court exercising a supervisory function
o If there is no guardian then enjoyment of the property will be regulated by a
court-appointed guardian or curator bonis
Moveable vs Immoveable Property Inherited by a Minor
There is a difference between how movable and immovable property inherited by the minor
is administered.
Moveable property
General rule: The minor’s capacity to exercise all the rights of ownership in the
movable property = limited and their guardian administers the inherited moveable
property
o The minor will acquire vested right to the property when the deceased dies
and will receive full rights of ownership when they turn 18
In the case where the minor dies after the deceased:
o The property will form part of the minor’s estate and will be transferrable to
the heirs of the minor unless there is a contrary indication in the deceased’s
will who made specific instructions for such a case
In the case where it is money that is left to the minor:
o The minor acquires a vested right to the money BUT it will not be physically
given to the minor and the money will also not be given to the guardian to
avoid exploitation and over-expenditure
o The Administration of Estates Act: rule = the money is instead put in the
Guardian’s Fund.
The minor’s guardian is allowed to withdraw money from the fund to
take care of the minor’s maintenance.
The Master may not disburse funds towards the maintenance of a
minor “without the sanction” of a court if the amount required
