Ahead of the start of the second Test in Gqeberha on Sunday, we look at five talking points for the Proteas heading into that fixture.
Bad toss to lose
Not to make excuses, but if South Africa had won the toss on the opening morning and batted first, as they 100% would have, it would have been a different ball game.
They may still have lost, but history shows this is a bat-first wicket in Durban and trying to score runs in the fourth innings is very difficult.
It was advantage Australia from that point and, to be fair, they took it with both hands and were ruthless when they needed to be for a deserved victory.
It will likely be the same in Gqeberha. You don’t want to bat last.
Top-order troubles
Ryan Rickelton scored two runs across his two innings and Temba Bavuma four, which is clearly not enough from two of the top four if you are to win Test matches.
The other batters all got starts in at least one of their innings, with Aiden Markram and David Bedingham the pick.
There will also be question marks over wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne and whether he can supply enough runs.
Could Marques Ackermann get a run in Gqeberha? He may well, but for whom? If Rickelton is dropped, who opens?
Spin trouble
Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj were supposed to come into their own at Kingsmead, but between them took four wickets for 320 runs in 82.2 overs at around four runs per over.
That is not good enough after South Africa specifically picked two spinners for the conditions.
Part-timer Matt Renshaw took 2-30 in 13 overs for Australia to show up the South African pair.
A big decision has to be made for the second Test in what should also be spin-friendly conditions.
KG back
Kagiso Rabada was steaming in during practice in Durban and it seems he will be fit for the second Test in Gqeberha. If so, he will definitely play. The question is, for whom?
Drop a spinner and use Markram as a second slow option?
Drop Anrich Nortje, who looked pretty decent at times for 4-144 in 40 overs? Not the best of figures, but he was more dangerous than that.
Wiaan Mulder will surely keep his place as he was effective with bat and ball, while Marco Jansen looks undroppable.
It is likely a shoot-out between Rabada and Nortje, and the former will surely be given the nod.
Record in Gqeberha
Pretty mixed … South Africa have 15 wins to go with 13 defeats and five draws, and while they have won the last two Tests there against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, they lost the two before that.
They did win the 2018 fixture against Australia, batting second as they chased down 101 for victory.
Rabada was the star of that game, taking 11-150 as Australia had no answer to his raw pace.
He might not be as quick these days, but he has more guile in his bowling.