Scott Boland took two wickets in two consecutive balls as South Africa slumped to 2-20 on a rain-shortened opening day of the second Test at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Sunday.
Rain delayed the start of the match by about two hours and the day's play was abandoned at 4:15pm local time. The disruptions limited the day to two brief bursts of cricket, totalling 33 and 43 balls, under overcast skies and on a damp, seam-friendly pitch.
The Test, the second of three in Australia's tour of South Africa, is scheduled to run from October 18 to 22, with play starting at 10am local time, 7pm AEDT, each day.
Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first. He recalled Boland in place of spinner Nathan Lyon, leaving Australia without a specialist slow bowler and fielding an all-seam bowling attack.
It was Boland's first competitive red-ball match in about seven months, since he played in the Sheffield Shield final in March.
He made an immediate impact once play resumed, having Aiden Markram bowled for 11 off an inside edge before David Bedingham was caught behind for a golden duck.
Temba Bavuma survived the hat-trick ball and was unbeaten on 4 when play was called off, with South Africa 2-20. He was joined at the crease by Marques Ackerman, who finished the day unbeaten on 5 from 32 balls.
Australia's XI for the Test was Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Boland and Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa fielded Markram, Ackerman, Bedingham, Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.
Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs, South Africa's first defeat under Bavuma's captaincy.
The third and final Test of the series is scheduled for Newlands in Cape Town, from October 27 to 31.