After South Africa withdrew from the British Commonwealth in 1961,[b] the tour was not deemed official as the country was no longer a member of the Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC).

[3][4] Due to the sporting boycott of South Africa during the apartheid era, no official Test cricket was played by South Africa after 1970, with an effective moratorium on international tours to the country after a resolution passed by the ICC opposing the apartheid system.

[c][6] As a result, New Zealand did not tour the country again until 1994–95, after the end of the apartheid regime and the reintegration of South Africa into international sport in 1991.

[8] A protest against the South African apartheid regime took place during the squad selection meeting in Christchurch.

They failed to reach their target and were all out for 166 after what Wisden called "rank bad batting", with South Africa winning the match by just 30 runs.

They scored 223 in their innings, with Godfrey Lawrence taking eight wickets for 53 runs, the best bowling figures in Test matches by a South African fast bowler.

[20][21] McGlew declared South Africa's second innings at 178/6, leaving New Zealand with a target of 278 runs in around four hours play.

Reid won the toss for the first time in the series and New Zealand chose to bat, scoring 385 runs in their first innings, attacking the South African bowling after losing early wickets.

Sydney Burke, making his debut for South Africa, took six wickets, including four cheap ones on the second morning of the match.

Burke was dropped, despite his bowling display in the previous Test, and Peter Heine returned to the South African team after an absence of three years.

Tiger Lance made his Test debut for the South Africans, the side's tenth new cap of the series.

[26] Reid won the toss again and opted to bat, but New Zealand were dismissed for 164 runs in their first innings, with Godfrey Lawrence taking another five-wicket haul at Wanderers.

[26] South Africa replied with a score of 464, with an opening partnership of 134 and another century from McGlew, the seventh and last of his Test match career.

[27] The final Test match of the series was played at St George's Oval in Port Elizabeth, beginning on 16 February.

New Zealand were then bowled out for 228 runs in their second innings, leaving South Africa requiring 314 to win the match.

New Zealand's wicket-keeper Artie Dick took five dismissals during the match, leaving him with a total of 23 for the series, equalling the previous record.

New Zealand arrived in Perth on 8 October 1961 and spent three days practicing before playing a first-class match against Western Australia.

After leaving South Africa after the final Test at the end of February, the New Zealanders played two first-class matches against Australian sides on the return journey.