  Transition metal defects in SiC give rise to localized electronic states that
can be optically addressed in the telecom range in an industrially mature
semiconductor platform. This has led to intense scrutiny of the spin and
optical properties of these defect centers. For spin-1/2 defects, a combination
of the defect symmetry and the strong spin-orbit coupling may restrict the
allowed spin transitions, giving rise to defect spins that are long lived, but
hard to address via microwave spin manipulation. Here, we show via analytical
and numerical results that the presence of a central nuclear spin can lead to a
non-trivial mixing of electronic spin states, while preserving the defect
symmetry. The interplay between a small applied magnetic field and hyperfine
coupling opens up magnetic microwave transitions that are forbidden in the
absence of hyperfine coupling, enabling efficient manipulation of the
electronic spin. We also find that an electric microwave field parallel to the
c-axis can be used to manipulate the electronic spin via modulation of the
relative strength of the dipolar hyperfine term.
