Ex-President Thabo Mbeki will get 45 minutes to argue for his right to get involved in the state's Jacob Zuma appeal.

The Supreme Court of Appeal on Tuesday indicated that it would hear Mbeki's application to intervene, or participate as a friend of the court, in the National Prosecuting Authority's appeal against Judge Chris Nicholson's ruling, which invalidated Zuma's prosecution.

Mbeki wants to be given the right to challenge the judge's "political meddling" inferences against him, which he claims were responsible for his recalling as President.

The Appeal Court has stated that Mbeki's legal team will be given 30 minutes to argue why he should be given this right - and will also be required to detail the basis of his problems with Judge Nicholson's ruling.

Mbeki's lawyers, led by his cousin Marumo Moerane SC, will then be given a further 15 minutes to respond to any opposition raised to his intervention application by Zuma.

Mbeki's legal team will have to convince five Appeal Court judges, led by acting Deputy President Louis Harms, that they have raised important issues not covered by the state's appeal.

Like Mbeki, the NPA has raised concerns about Judge Nicholson's "political meddling" inferences, which the prosecuting authority has argued the judge was not equipped or required to make.

The Appeal Court has indicated that lawyers for the NPA and Zuma will both get two hours to argue for and against Judge Nicholson's decisions being overturned.

With acknowledgements to Karyn Maughan and Cape Argus.