Cooperative Governance Minister Des Van Rooyen will not be commenting on Sunday's media reports that the Gupta's picked up the tab for his visit to Dubai in 2015 because the issue is sub judice, his office said.

''The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs  (Cogta), honourable Des van Rooyen noted with concern the articles that appeared today, 28 May 2017 in some Sunday Newspapers,'' a brief statement read.

''The Minister emphasised that the issue raised [in the] article are part of the broader legal review of the so-called state capture report as such he will not comment on the matters that are sub judice.''

Sunday Times reported that the Guptas paid for Van Rooyen's trip to Dubai after he was appointed in 2015.

Van Rooyen was the finance minister for a weekend when former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene was removed ostensibly for a position in the Brazil Russia India China economic bloc. That position did not materialise and Van Rooyen was removed after an uproar and replaced by Pravin Gordhan.

Gordhan was axed on 31 May in a Cabinet reshuffle.

The Public Protector, at the time Thuli Madonsela, issued a reported last year titled State of Capture in which allegations that the Guptas were involved in ministerial appointments were explored.

Van Rooyen and President Jacob Zuma are applying for a judicial review of the report.

The Public Protector recommended that the Chief Justice appoint a commission of inquiry into the state capture allegations, but Zuma has indicated that neither the Protector, nor the Chief Justice can take over a function limited to himself.