South Africa set India a 124-run victory target in the first Test after stretching their second innings to 153 on day three here on Sunday.
South Africa did well to cross 150 on a testing pitch after resuming the day at 93 for seven.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma scored the first fifty of the game, ending with 55 not out off 136 balls with the help of four boundaries.
Ravindra Jadeja was the pick among the bowlers for India, taking 4/50.
India are without their regular skipper Shubman Gill who was declared ruled out of the remainder of the Kolkata Test due to a neck injury he suffered on the second day’s play here at the Eden Gardens.
Brief scores:
South Africa: 159 all out and 93 for 7 in 35 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 4/29, Kuldeep Yadav 2/12)
India: 189 all out in 62.2 overs (KL Rahul 39; Marco Jansen 3/35, Simon Harmer 4/30).