Welsh celebrations were at odds with Springbok gloom. Among the World Cup favourites when they return to these shores next year, their northern hemisphere tour was marred by an apparent serious leg injury suffered by captain and centre Jean de Villiers.
"I thought Wales played well and were the better team. We normally build momentum in the last 20 minutes, but there were two big turning points. We lost our captain and got a yellow card," South Africa's head coach Heyneke Meyer told the BBC.
It was only a second win for Wales in 28 games against the big three of New Zealand, Australia and the Springboks, and the first over South Africa since 1999 having lost their last 16 before Saturday's triumph.
Wales had come agonsingly close to beating the Springboks in June, a late converted penalty try condemning them to a 31-30 defeat in Nelspruit.
In a dress rehearsal for a possible World Cup quarter-final meeting next year if both progress from the pool stage, Pat Lambie landed two penalties for the tired-looking Springboks who go home after suffering tour defeats against Ireland and Wales, along with victories over England and Italy.
"I thought our fitness was excellent... There are still things we have to work on, but we got the win and we desperately needed it," Wales head coach Warren Gatland told the BBC.
"We should have won by more. We've pushed the big three pretty close in this campaign. We couldn't get across the line for two of those games, but we've done it today."
After the disappointment of last week's defeat by New Zealand when Wales led going into the last 15 minutes, only to capitulate to the world champions, victory was met with rapturous scenes at the Millennium Stadium.
As a chorus of Land Of My Fathers (Welsh national anthem) echoed around the stadium, the Welsh players embraced and raised their hands in triumph before later taking a lap of honour.
That the win after a series of near misses against the big guns came with little flair will matter not to coach Warren Gatland, who had become accustomed to being asked why his side could not quite get over the line against the world's best.
This time they did, despite a tense finale when South Africa mounted late pressure but, not for the first time, were undone by a mistake forced by resilient defence.
Halfpenny kicked four out of five penalties for the Welsh who carried the greater attacking threat throughout a scrappy, physical affair in which try-scoring chances were few and far between.
