The North Gauteng High Court on Thursday granted former President Jacob Zuma permission for leave to appeal the R10-million cost order for fees spent on his State capture court cases.

Zuma is challenging a costs order against him handed down by the court in December for his opposition of the public protector's remedial action on the the State capture report.

Zuma abandoned his bid to interdict the release of State capture report on the second day of the multi-million-rand court battle, prompting opposition parties to demand Zuma foot the bill for the case himself.

On Thursday, Zuma's his legal representative, Advocate Thabani Masuku said the order of 13 December against Zuma was punitive, but more than that, it called him reckless.

He said Zuma deserved an opportunity to address the conclusions of the high court regarding his conduct.

In his affidavit, Zuma said the high court had erred in ruling that he was reckless, unreasonable and ill-advised to approach it over remedial action.

He continued to say that he opposed the public protector's remedial action in the state capture report because he was a dutiful champion of the Constitution.

"To me, as I was required to uphold the Constitution, I thought I had a duty to ensure that the Court determines whether the Public Protector was correct," Zuma said in his submission.

He said he believes the court was unfairly punishing him for seeking to challenge the State capture report. 

The matter continues.