The 1994 South African democratic election was a glorious achievement unparalleled in history, never before had a ruling elite willingly given up power, and never before had a single bold individual achieved it. Now it can be revealed who the mover and shaker was, who stepped into the breach when the liberal press faltered, who kept his head when the journalists panicked and threatened to derail the transition. This hero is of course the one and only Rupertheimer, the hidden hand who steered his country to an embryonic democracy, yet ask yourself if you have read of Rupertheimer in any newspaper or book? Newspaper articles and books on the historic 1994 negotiations, all credit the liberal press for the successful transition to democracy, these articles and books were all written by South African journalists. Perhaps this is why parliament controls the media in the Scandinavian countries, why the press councils in New Zealand and Ireland have recently been restructured, and why the South African government have proposed a Media Appeals Tribunal. The old liberal mantra of hands off our free press isn't working anymore, the entire spectrum of political parties in Britain are clamoring for more effective press regulation, hopefully the Leveson Media Inquiry will assist in deciding who guards the guardians.