Australia posted 8-271 from their 50 overs in the first one-day international at the MCG, but it could have been far fewer if not for some embarrassing drops by one South African fielder.
Opener Shaun Marsh made 79 in easily his best knock of a substandard summer, captain Ricky Ponting 46 and David Hussey 52 from 50 balls.
But South African debutant Vaughn van Jaarsveld contributed to Australia's cause by dropping two straight-forward catches.
He grassed a chance after two bites at square leg when Ponting was 33 and then spilt a gift-wrapped chance when Hussey slapped a shot straight to him at deep cover when the Victorian was on nine.
If that wasn't bad enough, van Jaarsveld also could have run out Ponting before he scored, but his underarm flick just missed the stumps.
The fielding blunders spoiled a solid performance by the Proteas with the ball, as Australia looked set to race away several times through the innings after Ponting won the toss.
The experiment of using Mike Hussey as an opener - for only the second time in his 94-match career - failed, as he fell for six, caught behind off Dale Steyn in the third over.
But Ponting and Marsh posted a stand of 94 from 108 balls to have the home side nicely positioned 20 overs in, when they were scoring at five runs an over.
It was Proteas skipper Johan Botha who turned the tide, when he had his counterpart caught behind, and from there Australia never really hit full throttle.
Michael Clarke (19 from 38 balls) fell trying to lift his tempo, and the loss of Marsh - caught behind off Morne Morkel - left Australia 4-174 in the 38th over.
Marsh hit four boundaries and a six in his composed 97-ball knock, which was easily his best for a season in which he has struggled in all three forms for Western Australia.
David Hussey and Cameron White lifted the scoring rate late in the innings, as Australia took 43 runs from their five-over power play block, beginning in the 42nd over.
But both Victorians were bowled in successive overs trying to hit through the on-side.
South Africa then produced two good pieces of fielding, one a catch by van Jaarsveld to remove James Hopes for two and then a good turn and throw at mid-wicket by Albie Morkel to run out Brad Haddin (19 from 12 balls).
Botha and Albie and Morne Morkel all took two wickets apiece but went at five runs an over, but Jacques Kallis was arguably the pick of the bowlers, as his 10 overs cost only 0-35.
