Temba Bavuma smashed 179 off 334 balls to lift South Africa from a 110‑6 wobble to a 425‑9 declaration on Day 3 of the second Test at St George’s Park.
The skipper’s 18 fours and a single six kept the engine revving, while Marco Jansen added 85 and Simon Harmer’s maiden 82 helped swing the tide.
Bavuma’s 132‑run stand with Jansen broke the chain of wickets, and the 183‑run eighth‑wicket partnership with Harmer sealed the turnaround; Scott Boland’s 5‑81 set the tone for the bowlers.
Australia, still reeling from a 214‑run loss in the opening Test, are 3‑1 at stumps, needing a big second‑innings collapse to stay in the series.
The win keeps the WTC 2027 final spot in the balance for South Africa, who must rally in the next match to level the three‑match series.