Saps: White candidate not better

2009-11-16 22:39

Johannesburg - The police's employment equity guidelines were scrutinised in the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Monday during the hearing of a captain who alleged she was overlooked for a position because she was white.

Lawyers for Solidarity representing Captain Renate Barnard submitted that she was twice overlooked for a senior position because of her skin colour, despite her being more experienced than the other candidates.

A police captain with 20 years experience, Barnard applied for a position within the national inspectorate division in 2005 and again in 2006, but was not appointed despite the interview panel rating her the highest of all applicants.

Her lawyer, Johan Grogan argued that the decision not to appoint Barnard had left her "upset... to be rated so high above the other candidates and still not get the position".

'All scored above average'

Defence lawyer, William Mokhare, however, disputed that Barnard had been recommended for the position when the recommendations were sent to the then national commissioner Jackie Selebi.

He said Barnard was among three people recommended and that recommendations sent to the national commissioner were "not binding".

"It is not correct that the applicant was better skilled. She was not better skilled than the other black candidates... They were all captains, all had diplomas and were all enrolled for degrees.

"They all scored above average, so she was not better than the other two," said Mokhare.

Grogan was expected to cross-examine Ramothoka on Tuesday morning and then call two witnesses to testify in support of Barnard's case.

The case continues on Tuesday.
 

- SAPA