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Australia pulled off the highest successful run chase at the Wanderers to beat South Africa by two wickets and win a thrilling second and final Test.

Debutant Pat Cummins hit the winning runs, while Mitchell Johnson battled to an unbeaten 40 as Australia reached their target of 310 late on day five.

Australia had resumed needing another 168 for victory, while the Proteas required seven wickets to win.

Vernon Philander took five wickets for the hosts but it proved to be in vain.

Despite , South Africa have yet to beat Australia in a home Test series since their return from sporting isolation in 1991.

But it looked as though the hosts were on course for victory after they claimed the wickets of Australia captain Michael Clarke and former skipper Ricky Ponting early on.

Rain had prevented any play in the morning session but when the visitors resumed on 142-3, Philander took the wicket of Clarke with a neat delivery that nipped back on to the stumps in the fourth over.

Paceman Morne Morkel then claimed the crucial wicket of Ponting, who reached 62 before edging a short delivery to Jacques Rudolph at second slip.

Mike Hussey and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin put on 50 for the sixth wicket before Hussey was trapped lbw by Philander attempting to play across the line.

Haddin, batting with Johnson, survived until tea despite being struck on the helmet by the fiery Dale Steyn and Australia reached the break needing another 88 runs to win with four wickets in hand.

In a tense final session, the pair battled on to take Australia within 23 runs of their target, before Haddin edged to Mark Boucher from a swinging delivery from Philander, who completed his five-wicket haul.

Dale Steyn had Peter Siddle caught by Imran Tahir at midwicket in the following over and it looked as though the Proteas might have the momentum to complete the win.

But Johnson and Cummins held their nerve, Cummins hitting two fours, one straight down the ground off Steyn - who dropped a difficult caught and bowled chance in the process - before clipping Tahir through midwicket to round off a remarkable victory.

Cummins, the second youngest debutant in Australian cricket history, claimed the man of the match award after figures of 6-79 in South Africa's second innings.

"I was nervous coming in at the end but I just swung as hard as I could," he said. "Just to get a Test match is unbelievable, but to get a great win tops it off."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith added: "I must give Australia credit because I thought we bowled well.

"It's been wonderful to see Test cricket played like this - it's great for the game."