Mandelaland for South Africa?

Dear editor,

With South Africa in the global spotlight now due to the World Cup games this month and next, it occurred to me that it might be time to give South Africa a new national name.

South Africa is a fine name, of course. It was coined in 1910 when the Union of South Africa was formed.

But the name sounds like a geography lesson in high school: North America, South Africa, Eastern Europe, South America, East Asia.

So what about changing the name of South Africa in the future to something like ``Mandela" or ``Mandelaland," to honor Nelson Mandela?

I rather like Mandelaland. Think: Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Maryland, Holland, Thailand, Newfoundland, Switzerland, Swaziland. Mandelaland would honor Nelson Mandela for his life's work as a healer of his nation.

Danny Bloom Taiwan danbloom@gmail.com