With Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen rested for the two-match series and Lungi Ngidi only joining the squad for the second Test, Conrad has given the responsibility to the 19-year-old Maphaka to show what he can do.
The left-arm paceman and former U19 starlet has only played one Test so far, when he made his debut in the longest format against Pakistan at Newlands in January and returned match figures of 3-90 in 21.2 overs.
Maphaka was not selected in the squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at Lord's but will now be unleashed at the Queen's Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Conrad told the media: "With Lungi (Ngidi) not being here for the first Test, Kwena Maphaka is going to lead the bowling attack.
"As a 19-year-old, when you get given that responsibility, it doesn't only speak volumes for how highly we rate him, but also the calibre and the mentality that he possesses.
"He is a young buck that shows maturity way beyond his years. So, yeah, he'll definitely be leading the attack in the first Test."
Conrad though was quick to dampen any high expectations on the youngster in the current series with the Proteas mentor stating that Maphaka will need time and space to develop his game.
Besides his only Test appearance, the teenage quick has only played three other First-Class matches so far in his career.
Conrad added: "We've obviously got to be very smart in identifying when we do put him out in the shop window. I think this would be a great time for him.
"I am talking Test cricket specifically, where he is not the third quick behind KG (Rabada) and Marco (Jansen) necessarily, but he is the main dog.
"So, that responsibility will grow massively, and it's all about being patient. Just like you need to be patient with batters, you need to be patient with bowlers as well.
"We're not going to see the best of Kwena Mphaka in the next couple of months, but these are all the building blocks so that we can see the best of Kwena in, say, three or four years time."
Conrad did not finalise the starting XI for the first Test against their African neighbours but did confirm that all-rounder Wiaan Mulder will continue to bat at number three as he did in the WTC final.
Corbin Bosch picked up a maiden five-wicket haul as the Proteas wrapped up a mammoth 328-run victory in the second session of the fourth day of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Wiaan Mulder hit a career-best 147 as the Proteas were bowled out for 369 in the second innings to set Zimbabwe a mammoth target of 537 with two days remaining of the first Test in Bulawayo.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius became the youngest player to score a Test century for the Proteas to help the visitors recover from 55-4 to post 418-9 at stumps on day one against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis and Codi Yusuf will all make their Test debuts for the Proteas against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Saturday, stand-in captain Keshav Mahraj has confirmed.
