Scotland bowed out of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament with the second lowest score in the event's history as South Africa lived up to its billing as one of the favourites.
Needing victory to avoid an early exit from the competition following Saturday's defeat to New Zealand, Scotland was unlikely to cause a shock from the moment South Africa powered to a daunting 5-211 after being put in to bat at The Oval.
But the real gulf in class was exposed when Scotland began its reply and was dismissed for 81 in 15.4 overs, a total which was only marginally better than the worst ever in this event of 73 recorded by Kenya against New Zealand in Durban two years ago.
It was also the seventh worst total in Twenty20 international history despite Kyle Coetzer hitting a determined 42 off 32 balls before becoming the first of four wickets to fall in a 10-ball spell to end the Scottish innings.
South Africa's total, its highest in this format, was achieved by a stunning display of hitting towards the end of the innings by AB de Villiers which helped add 83 runs from the final five overs.
Teaming up with Albie Morkel after off-spinner Majid Haq and left-arm spinner Glenn Rogers had halted South Africa's earlier run spree, the pair hammered 51 off 19 balls to end any hopes of Scotland limiting it to a modest total.
Openers Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, who was dropped by Scotland captain Gavin Hamilton at extra cover on 43, had given South Africa a solid start with an 87-run stand.
It took the introduction of off-spinner Haq, who was strangely overlooked for Saturday's match, to halt South Africa's progress after he dismissed both batsmen in the space of four balls.
Kallis, who scored a superb 48 off 31 balls, was bowled off an inside edge attempting a drive down the ground and Smith fell at the end of that over for 38 mis-timing an attempted sweep.
Ryan Watson's off-spin also accounted for Herschelle Gibbs when he advanced down the wicket and was comfortably stumped, which prompted the destructive partnership between de Villiers and Morkel.
All-rounder Morkel was initially the more damaging of the pair and hit two sixes and a four off one Watson over before holing out in the deep for a brilliant 24 off 11 balls.
But de Villiers picked up the mantle and helped add a staggering 83 off the final five overs, finishing unbeaten on 79 off 34 balls including five fours and six sixes.
Scotland's innings suffered a disastrous start when it lost four wickets inside the first four overs and looked to be heading for an even more humiliating total than the one it achieved.
But Coetzer, who had earlier taken a stunning one-handed catch at long off to remove Mark Boucher, provided impressive resistance to put Scotland on course to at least reach three figures.
He hit all-rounder Morkel for two of his three sixes, but attempting to hit off-spinner Johan Botha back over his head he instead mis-timed it, sending it high in the air and was caught with six overs remaining.
Coetzer's demise sparked a late collapse with Morkel wrapping up the lower order with two wickets in three balls to secure South Africa's emphatic 130-run triumph.