The decision to grant the Gupta family early naturalisation was mainly, if not entirely, based on their "investor" status, The Times reported on Wednesday.
Home Affairs minister Hlengiwe Mkhize reportedly appeared before Parliament's home affairs portfolio committee on Tuesday, after being summoned to explain the decision to grant the family early naturalisation, taken by her predecessor Malusi Gigaba.
Gigaba had reportedly not informed Parliament of the decision as required by law.
On Tuesday, Mkhize said: "He (Gigaba) made a judgment call. From my side, what I saw from the documents, the issue of this family being investors in this country dominated the correspondence... There is nothing much about them except the issue of investment."
The committee reportedly still wants Gigaba to appear before it.
Eyewitness News (EWN) reported that Mkhize said she would wait for Parliament's inquiry into the Gupta's and state capture before considering whether or not to revoke the family's citizenship.
The Democratic Alliance's Haniff Hoosen reportedly asked her: "Will you consider, given what has gone on with the Guptas, given that Parliament itself, as one of the highest institutions in the country is asking that their influence and their involvement in government must now be investigated, will you consider revoking the citizenship of that family on the basis that it's in the best interests of the country to do so?"
Mkhize replied: "We need to allow Parliament to investigate and then once Parliament has got a report, there'll be clear recommendations and guidance for all of us."