  The commission would respect the ANC's promise to offer amnesties, but the reprieve would not be granted automatically. It would, rather, be linked to a demand for full disclosure from perpetrators. Those seeking amnesty would have to apply for it, provide full details about what they had done, and establish that their activities were politically motivated (rather than the result of greed,  sadism etc.).[27]  Applicants would not, however, be required to apologize or otherwise express regret.  Furthermore, the arrangement would eliminate not only criminal responsibility but also civil  liability.[28]  Successful applicants could be neither charged nor sued for their conduct during the apartheid years. The commission would be charged with investigating abuses that took place between March 1, 1960 and May 10, 1994.