FILE PHOTO: South Africa's President Jacob Zuma attends the 37th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in the capital, Pretoria,South Africa, August 19, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa’s High Court ruled on Wednesday that an inquiry into alleged state influence-peddling in President Jacob Zuma’s government should be established as recommended by the anti-graft watchdog in a report released a year ago.

Zuma had challenged the right of the report’s author to call for a judicial inquiry and the appointment of a judge to head it by the Chief Justice. Zuma said it was his prerogative to set up such an inquiry.