Hashim Amla was unbeaten on 178 as South Africa reached 4-449 at lunch on the second day of the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park on Thursday.
Left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn broke a South African record fourth-wicket stand of 308 between Amla and AB de Villiers when De Villiers sliced a drive to point on 152.
But there was no further success for the injury-hit West Indians as new cap Stiaan van Zyl made an unbeaten 51 and helped Amla add an unbeaten 83 for the fifth wicket.
The West Indies were without fast bowler Kemar Roach, who left the field on Monday afternoon after injuring his right ankle. A team spokesman said scans had revealed no significant damage and it was hoped he would be able to bowl later in the match.
Roach's injury left the tourists with only three front-line bowlers, with Jerome Taylor and Sheldon Cottrell providing pace and Benn needing to tie up one end with spin.
Benn bowled ten overs during the morning and took the only wicket, but left the field shortly before lunch and was seen with an ice pack on his right shoulder.
Both Taylor and Cottrell bowled with more control than they had on the first day, with Taylor in particular concentrating on a line outside the off stump with only two fielders on the leg side.
Scoring was slower than on the first day, especially after De Villiers was dismissed, and only 31 runs were scored in 15 overs in the first hour.
Van Zyl started cautiously and was troubled by the tall Benn early on, giving a sharp, low chance to Kraigg Brathwaite at leg gully when he had two.
But the left-hander quickly settled in and played some handsome drives on the off side as he reached a maiden Test half-century off 74 balls with eight fours.
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