Rival skippers Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis broke bread and struck diplomatic tones on Monday, as Kagiso Rabada's hearing started in Cape Town.
Rabada's attempt to clear his name and avoid a two-Test ban could drag on late into Monday night (AEDT), with high-profile South African barrister Dali Mpofu arguing his case.
Proteas captain du Plessis and team manager Mohammed Moosajee are expected to give evidence.
Independent commissioner Michael Heron is conducting proceedings via video conference from New Zealand.
Heron can then take up to 48 hours to settle on a decision. It means the saga could drag on until Wednesday, with the third Test starting a day later at Newlands.
Match referee Jeff Crowe found Rabada guilty of "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact" with Smith during the second Test.
Smith and du Plessis obviously have plenty of interest in the verdict, with the world's top-ranked bowler currently banned from the rest of the four-Test series.
But they are both keen to draw a line under the saga, agreeing that cases of sledging and spite had been overblown.
"It's actually been a series played in reasonably good spirits," Smith told fans at a corporate breakfast, sitting on the same stage as du Plessis.
"Obviously a couple of indiscretions here and there but the cricket has been exceptional."
Du Plessis echoed Smith's sentiment, having previously made it clear he has no issue with the tourists' chirping or conduct.
"You have all these things in the media and it just adds to the competitiveness of the series," du Plessis said.
"As he (Smith) said, on the field it hasn't been like that.
"If you take a 1000 overs of cricket that's been played, there's been like two of three balls of stuff.
"It's just a standard series of South Africa against Australia. Good, competitive cricket."
Rabada brushed the shoulder of Australia's skipper during a send-off that has triggered debate about the disciplinary system of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The express paceman was given a two-Test suspension because of his bad record, having accrued five demerit points from previous misdeeds.
"The ICC have covered the matter pretty thoroughly and pretty well. There's no doubt in the rules of the game that actions like that aren't really appropriate," Australia opener Cameron Bancroft told reporters.
Australia are bracing for more aggression from the Proteas if Rabada is ruled out.
Beanpole Morne Morkel, who revealed last month he would retire at the end of the current series, and recent squad addition Duanne Olivier are in the mix to take Rabada's place in the XI should his appeal prove unsuccessful.
"Morne gets a lot bounce and that's his strength," Bancroft said.
"We played against Olivier in the tour game.
"He was really aggressive and he came pretty hard at us in that second innings and bowled a lot of short stuff ... we know he's got some good firepower about him."
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