Through the adoption of the National Development Plan (NDP), South Africa has set itself the target of realising the dream of a better South Africa by 2030. The realisation of the 2030 vision relies heavily on the extent to which recruitment, appointments, promotions and retention are based on talent and experience backed by appropriate educational qualifications. In its executive summary, the National Development Plan states that "therefore, in 2030, we experience daily how: we participate fully in efforts to liberate ourselves from conditions that hinder the following of our talents" (National Planning Commission, 2012). The NDP further acknowledges that the plan could fail if the state does not have the capacity to implement it. It is for this reason that talent must be