Cricket South Africa has enlisted prominent barrister and politician Dali Mpofu to fight Kagiso Rabada's two-Test ban.
Rabada's hearing over a charge of making "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact" with Steve Smith will take place on Monday, with the International Cricket Council appointing Michael Heron of New Zealand as judicial commissioner.
"I do believe this is an important case for all South Africans and has implications for our shared project of nation-building. We should all wish Kagiso luck for Monday," Mpofu told newspaper The Times.
Mpofu was part of the legal team that successfully overturned the rape conviction of former South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, while he also represented victims of the Marikana Massacre in 2012 and has worked on a number of high-profile cases.
As a young lawyer he had a close connection with Nelson Mandela's wife Winnie and the anti-apartheid African National Congress party.
Rabada brushed Australia skipper Smith's shoulder during a screaming send-off that marred the second Test.
Match referee Jeff Crowe conducted a hearing earlier this week and found the express paceman guilty.
The level-two charge was punished with a fine and three demerit points which, combined with Rabada's poor disciplinary record, triggered a two-Test ban.
The Proteas lodged an appeal because they are desperate to have the world's top-ranked bowler on the park when the series continues in Cape Town next Thursday.
Rabada will remain banned from the third and fourth Tests until Crowe's verdict is ratified or overturned at the hearing.
However, CSA is expected to attempt to convince the commissioner this is unjust and that the fired-up quick should be free to play at Newlands.
Rabada acknowledged earlier this week he erred in Port Elizabeth.
"It's going to have to stop. I can't keep doing this because I'm letting the team down and I'm also letting myself down," he said.
"I would've loved to have been playing the next game.
"I have to see it as a big learning curve and not repeat the same mistake."
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis also appeared to be resigned to losing Rabada for the rest of this series.
"Our strike rate is zero per cent at the moment with trying to challenge these cases, it will probably stay at zero," du Plessis said.
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