The Act provides for exchange control amnesty with accompany tax measures in respect of voluntary disclosures by an applicant of any contravention of the Exchange Control Regulations or failure to comply with the provisions of the Estate Duty Act, 1995, or the Income Tax Act, 1962, to the extent that it relates to foreign assets. 

The Unit has been established to ensure independence and secrecy around the amnesty process. The Unit is tasked with evaluating all applications for amnesty; granting or denying approval in respect of any such application; and may withdraw any approval in terms of section 20 of the Act. 

The amnesty window will run from Sunday 1 June to Sunday, 30 November 2003. The Unit will cease to exist after processing all successful applications and after all appeals on unsuccessful applications have been determined.

Advocate Mbuyiseli Madlanga SC, is the appointed chairperson of the Unit. Advocate Madlanga is a practicing senior counsel and a former Transkei High Court Judge and former acting Constitutional Court Judge. The other eight designate members who comprise the Unit were drawn equally from the South African Reserve Bank and the South African Revenue Services. They are, as follows: Mr M Kirsten; Mr J Rossouw; Mr T Nevhutanda; and Mr K Stone, from the South Africa Reserve Bank, and Ms E Ramphal; Ms C Van Zyl; Ms D Ferreira; and Mr V Nyamate, from the South African Revenue Service. 

The Unit is located in secure premises on the second floor, 240 Vermuelen Street Building, Pretoria.