Just five days after skittling Steve Waugh's Australian team for 133 off 38 overs in a 67-run victory in the opening game of the triangular series, South Africa repeated the dose.
The big win lifted South Africa to the top of the standings with two wins from three outings. South Africa take on the improved New Zealanders in the next match of the tournament, in Hobart tomorrow.
Australia's wretched record chasing modest one-day targets continued when they frittered away opener Mark Waugh's knock of 45 to tumble all out off just 39.1 overs. Natal paceman Lance Klusener took five for 24.
Australia's batsmen, with the exception of Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist, unbeaten on 29, failed to capitalise on an exceptional fielding performance in which four South African batsmen were run out.
The modest total proved well out of Australia's reach as South Africa's veterans Pat Symcox and Brian McMillan triggered a dramatic middle-order collapse.
Mark Waugh and Michael Bevan steadied the ship after Klusener dismissed Michael Di Venuto (six), Steve Waugh (0) and Ricky Ponting (15) in a superb spell.
The New South Wales duo took the score to 79 for three before Bevan (19) became McMillan's first victim, well caught at point by a diving Jonty Rhodes.
Much of the responsibility for a successful run chase then fell on Mark Waugh but, on 45, he tried to cut a wide ball from Symcox, only to top edge it to backward point, where Shaun Pollock took an overhead catch.
Australia's fast-bowling ranks, already stretched by injuries to Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, may lose another key player with Paul Reiffel's hamstring problems resurfacing. Reiffel is in doubt for the Boxing Day Test match against South Africa at the MCG.
Wicketkeeper Ian Healy, a surprising omission from Australia's one-day side, yesterday was named in the Australia A team to play Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday. But there was no place for Test captain Mark Taylor, who effectively is not rated among the country's top 22 limited-over cricketers.