24 January 1999

Dear Deputy President

Thank you for calling the meeting on Friday between government and the commission. It not only clarified their interrelationship as to responsibility for the current phase of voter registration, but marked out the likely future course of their interaction.

The meeting brought home to me once and for all that my efforts at resolving the differing perceptions of the proper role and function of the commission, and of its relationship with gevernment, have failed. Indeed, the meeting made plain that I am the one who is out of step. Had I anticipated the role to which the commission has now been consigned, I would not have accepted nomination to work in harmony, but not where principle is involved.

The principle at issue here is the independence of the commission. Friday's meeting was the culmination of a debilitating series of jurisdictional skirmishes with government that started shortly after the commissioners were appointed. Instead of the commission being given the moral and material support to perform its complex and diverse duties, its limited time and resources were dissipated. Now, ultimately, instead of concentrating on the next phase of the registration exercise, the commission and the chief electoral officer have been reduced to supplicants for staffing and funding. We have effectively lost the power and duty to plan and execute the compilation of the voters' roll free of governmental let or hindrance. Moreover, there has been and irretrievable loss of the power to recruit, evaluate and select, train and motivate, deploy and control officers engaged in the electoral process. The loss of manifest impartiality must follow.

Given the circumstance, it is mot necessary to put the president and cabinet to the trouble of a meeting to establish harmony. I must do so as quickly and unobtrusively as possible. What I had learnt about elections I have passed on to my fellow commissioners and the chief electoral officer. Component core staff are in place and my departure will cause minimal administrative disruption; the vice-chairperson is more than capable of taking over the ceremonial role and the chief electoral officer has increasingly become the public spokesperson.

It was and honour to get to know you and I would like my departure to cause you and the president the least possible bother. Nor do I want to disturb a smooth run-up to the elections. I suggest it would be best if I were to depart before the next round of registration and would like to convey my resignation personally to the president once I have been notified that you have received this letter.

As you know, I had hoped to play a part in your assumption of office. Although I will now witness it from a distance, it will be with fond memories of the most exciting and rewarding time of my life.

Signed

JC Kriegler