The tourists kept in touch with the Springboks until midway through the first half but they then eased clear thanks to tries through captain John Smit, Brent Russell and winger Breyton Paulse while Percy Montgomery was on fine form with the boot.

The second half was more of the same as the home side ran in four more tries although the plucky Welsh were rewarded for their efforts on the final whistle when Shane Williams touched down in the corner.

The Boks went into the match unchanged from last week's victory over Ireland - while Wales had lost number eight Michael Owen with a back spasm. His place was taken by Alix Popham.

Former president Nelson Mandela was in the crowd, attending his first Springboks game since the 1995 World Cup final.

While the Springboks were the first to make sniping runs, it was the visitors who took the lead on six minutes when full-back Gavin Henson slotted over a monster penalty from the halfway line.

It was not long before the Boks crossed the goalline, Schalk Burger breaking a tackle to send the ball to fly-half Jaco van der Westhuyzen who sauntered through the Welsh defence only to be stopped short of the line.

But in the tackle, Van der Westhuyzen popped the ball up to Smit, who rolled over the line to score.

Percy Montgomery converted to give the Boks a 7-3 lead before adding another penalty on the 20-minute mark.

Henson reduced the deficit to 10-6 after the Boks were caught offside, but the hosts were soon seven points back in front thanks to a penalty for Montgomery.

A poor clearance kick by Henson landed on the 10 metre line and popped up for Bok lock Victor Matfield, who bludgeoned his way through Gethin Jenkins and lumbered on before giving winger Russell the easiest runaround for the try.

Montgomery again was spot-on with the conversion to take the Bok lead to 20-6.

Breyton Paulse added the third South Africa try two minutes before the break, after a fluffed kick luckily dropped into the hands of number eight Jacques Cronje. Montgomery kicked his third conversion.

Wayne Julies added the fourth try after a touchline one-two with Paulse, but Montgomery missed the conversion to leave the Boks 32-6 up.

Russell got his second to take the Boks further clear with a dart in at the corner.

Wales eventually crossed the Bok line, but it was in dubious circumstances.

After several penalties close to the line, scrum-half Dwayne Peel used referee Walsh as a shield as he ran in under protest from both the Boks and the crowd to put the Welsh into double-figures.

But with the tourists starting to feel the effects of the altitude, the hosts started running the Welsh ragged - and it came as no surprise that they replied within two minutes, with replacement scrum-half Conradie running around for the score as the home side edged closer to the half century.

It came up two minutes before the end when tigerish loose-forward Burger powered his way over from close range to give the Boks another milestone under new coach Jake White.

Montgomery claimed his sixth conversion - thereby taking him past Naas Bothas record for the most conversions in Test matches for South Africa.

With the hooter gone, Shane Williams managed to get a consolation try for the Welsh - but it was a day where they were well beaten at their own expansive game.