Brisbane - Australian spinner Nathan Lyon took 3-14 as South Africa were bowled out for 152 at tea on the first day of the opening Test at Brisbane's Gabba ground on Saturday.
After Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl on a green wicket under cloudy skies, South Africa never recovered from a disastrous start that saw them slump to 27-4 after 11 overs.
The only batters to defy the Australian attack were wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne and No 4 Temba Bavuma, who rescued the visitors from complete annihilation with a 98-run partnership.
But once Bavuma fell for 38 midway through the second session, South Africa lost steady wickets on a surface that got faster as the day wore on.
The Australians will feel vindicated by Cummins' decision to go against the norm in Brisbane by bowling first.
The morning conditions had looked ideal for Australia's potent pace attack, but Mitchell Starc and Cummins were wayward early, causing no real problems for the batters.
Starc began the rot with the first ball of the third over when South African captain Dean Elgar tickled a ball down the leg side to keeper Alex Carey.
Two down inside 10 overs! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/1N2qnRXxA7
Cummins began to find his line and length and was next to strike, with Rassie van der Dussen getting a faint edge to a ball that moved off the seam to leave South Africa 27-2.
That soon became 27-3 when Sarel Erwee got a thick edge off Scott Boland for Cameron Green to take a brilliant catch in the gully, low and to his left.
Two balls later it was 27-4 when Boland trapped Khaya Zondo lbw for a duck.
But Verreynne decided to play his strokes, and with Bavuma grafting at the other end, they began the recovery.
The pair continued to counter-attack after lunch, Verreynne bringing up 50 from 63 balls and Bavuma playing with more freedom.
But with his score on 38, Bavuma was bowled by Starc off an inside edge to leave South Africa 125-5.
Two down inside 10 overs! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/1N2qnRXxA7
Towering all-rounder Marco Jansen never looked convincing in his stay and eventually holed out to Green at mid-wicket for two after trying to smash off-spinner Nathan Lyon out of the ground.
Keshav Maharaj was even less convincing, edging Starc to Steve Smith at second slip as South Africa slumped to 135-7.
Verreynne played beautifully but he was eventually undone by Lyon, edging to Smith at slip for 64 to leave the visitors 139-8.
Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi offered little resistance as Australia wrapped up the innings.
AFP