South African captain Faf du Plessis ground out a century and was rewarded for his patience when New Zealand lost three quick wickets before the close of play on the second day of the second Test at SuperSport Park on Sunday.
New Zealand finished the day on 38 for three, 443 runs behind South Africa's first innings total of 481/8 declared.
In an era of rapid scoring in Test cricket, much of South Africa's innings was a return to a more attritional age, with the run rate hovering at around three runs an over.
Du Plessis was particularly cautious as he tiptoed to a fifth Test century off 225 balls.
But it paid off for South Africa as reunited fast bowling pair Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander ripped out both openers before Ross Taylor was run out.
It left New Zealand in deep trouble in a match which will decide the series after the weather-hit, abandoned first Test in Durban.Martin Guptill survived a sharp chance to Stiaan van Zyl at third slip off Philander when he was on four, with the ball bursting through the fielder's hands for four more runs. But he gave a more straightforward chance to the same fielder in Philander's next over without adding to his score.
Steyn then had the left-handed Tom latham caught behind off an inside edge for four, although it seemed a controversial decision. Umpire Paul Reiffel gave the batsman not out and South Africa sought a review.
Apart from a burst of scoring immediately after lunch, it was slow going for Du Plessis, who reached fifty off 130 balls.