• The minority opposition party, Cope, has decided to stand behind President Cyril Ramaphosa amid blowback from the Phala Phala report
• The party claimed that it would not buy into a Nkandla tea party agenda to have president Ramaphosa removed
• While Cope acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations against Ramaphosa, the party welcomed the president's legal challenge of the report

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JOHANNESBURG - The Congress of the People (Cope) has thrown its weight behind President Cyril Ramaphosa amid calls for his removal following the release of the Phala Phala report.

Cope national spokesperson Denis Bloem claimed the party refuses to support a "Nkandla tea party agenda" which seeks to unseat Ramaphosa from power, IOL reported.

Cope's support of Ramaphosa comes as most opposition parties have banded together to call for his impeachment. However, Cope fears what would happen if Ramaphosa were to step down as president, adding that it was in the nation's best interest that he remained at the helm.

The opposition party also fears Ramaphosa's work to uproot state capture and tackle corruption would amount to nothing. Cope claimed the state capture report would suffer the same fate as the Scorpions, SA's former anti-corruption unit disbanded during Jacob Zuma's tenure.

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While acknowledging that the Phala Phala allegations against President Ramaphosa were grave, the party also welcomed the head of state's decision to challenge the report legally, The Citizen reported.

"We also believe it is his democratic right to do so."

Bloem said.

Cope called on law enforcement agencies to investigate the Phala Phala farm heist and either charge President Cyril Ramaphosa or clear him of any wrongdoing.

This is what South Africans are saying about Cope's support for President Ramaphosa:

@SkhuNkontwana asked:

"Which cope faction made this statement was it Lekota or Madisha faction!?"

@MandatoryMasala commented:

"Ramaphosa is stepping on the right toes. Its a good thing!"

@ZamaWZwane scoffed:

"That joke of a political party?"

@Sir_Lebz added:

"COPE is still trying to stay relevant."

Jacob Zuma slams Ramaphosa for bruising ANC, saying party lost support under his uninspiring leadership

In a related matter, Briefly News reported that former president Jacob Zuma took aim at embattled President Cyril Ramaphosa, claiming the African National Congress (ANC) has lost support under Ramaphosa's uninspiring leadership.

Zuma was addressing party members at the Msinga Mlaba sports centre in ward 1 in KwaXimba, west of Durban. During the address, the former president said the party's poor showing evidenced the ANC's diminishing popularity during the local government elections in 2021.

Zuma declared:

"The ANC has been left bruised."

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