A case involving an SAPS captain who says she was twice overlooked for a position because she is white continues in the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Retired police commissioner Abraham Johannes Burger was expected to continue giving evidence on Wednesday morning on circumstances around decisions taken not to appoint Captain Renate Barnard to a Superintendent position.

He told the court on Tuesday that Barnard's appointment would have improved service delivery within a unit dealing with public grievances.

The unit, called the national inspectorate division, deals with complaints from members of the public who feel investigating officers were not investigating their matters properly or not giving them attention at all.

Said Burger on Tuesday: "I recommended that she be appointed... that there was a vast difference between her and the next candidate and also because of her competence."

He said Barnard's appointment to a senior position would have also boosted morale within the police's national inspectorate division.

Those below her would have served the public diligently in the hope of being promoted themselves, he said.

"Those below her would have worked harder, seeing that there was room for improvement within the department," said Burger.

He had twice recommended Barnard for the position, first in 2005 and again in 2006 but when the recommendations were sent through to National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi's office, he had decided not to appoint her because the position was meant to address gender equity in Barnard's department.

"He [Selebi] wanted to ensure that all units adhered to the Employment Equity Act, in line with equity plans of the [South African Police Service]," said Senior Superintendent Johannes Phetholo Ramothoka.

He is based at the SAPS' career management unit in Pretoria.

"The appointment of the candidate was not going to be in line with guidelines provided by the equity guidelines.

"White females were over-represented by five at salary level nine so her appointment would have meant an over-representativity on that level," he said, adding that appointments had to reflect the country's population.

Defence counsel Johan Grogan was expected to call another witness once Burger was done giving evidence.