Australia closed in on victory in the first test at Kingsmead, reducing South Africa to 102-4 at stumps on day four after setting the hosts a staggering 421 to win.
For the first time in the match, play went to the scheduled 17:30 close in front of a near-empty ground.
Aiden Markram was unbeaten on 45 off 115 balls with Wiaan Mulder on five and South Africa still needing 319 with six wickets in hand.
Australia declared on 314-6, scoring at 5.41 an over in 58 overs.
Travis Head fell early to Marco Jansen, but Nick Maddinson, out for a 33-ball duck in the first innings, raced to 48 off 38 balls with six fours and two sixes before being bowled by Anrich Nortje.
Nortje was South Africa’s best bowler with 2/56 that saw him troubling regularly and even hitting Steve Smith on the helmet with a sharp bouncer.
Smith and Marnus Labuschagne added 50 in 77 balls before Smith holed out to long-on off Simon Harmer.
Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw, fresh from his first-innings 190, added 32 quickly before Labuschagne chipped Keshav Maharaj to cover.
Renshaw managed 82 off 99 balls before being caught and bowled by Maharaj.
Pat Cummins finished unbeaten with four sixes off Harmer as Australia smashed 65 off the last five overs.
South Africa’s chase started poorly when Ryan Rickelton edged Josh Hazlewood to Alex Carey. Markram and David Bedingham put on 66 in 118 balls, with Bedingham hitting 46 off 68 before falling to Hazlewood.
Temba Bavuma was caught bat-pad off part-time spinner Renshaw and Tristan Stubbs edged Cummins behind as three wickets fell for 13 runs.
Action of the final day in Durban kicks off at 9:30 on Tuesday and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
