A match-winning try four minutes from time to clinch the 30-28 win was a just reward for the Stormers halfback, all 80kg and 1.70m of him, who was a human dynamo around the paddock right throughout the match.
This was a typical encounter between the Springboks and All Blacks - tough, physical and where a piece of individual magic was the difference between the sides.
Januarie was that magician, his clever dart beside a maul with less than five minutes to go, followed by a classy kick and gather was the decisive play of the match.
For a man who does not weigh much more than the ballboys running the sideline, Januarie showed it is not all about brawn and muscle in the modern game. Many times he tidied up when the Springboks were under pressure and his passing gave first five-eighth Butch James plenty of time.
Not far behind Januarie in effort was loose forward Schalk Burger, who showed no respect for his own body or any around him.
The All Blacks nearly stole the match and could have won it in the last minutes but Dan Carter failed to get away a drop-goal in the last play of the game.
The Springboks improved significantly on last week's performance in Wellington. They were stronger in the scrum and commanding in the line-out. Their composure at the end, when captain and lock Victor Matfield was sin-binned for a head-high tackle, proved nothing beats experience.
The All Blacks never looked composed and failed to make the most of the wind at their backs after half-time.
Early in the second half, when Carter kicked the ball more than 50m to swing his side on to attack, the All Blacks looked set to dominate.
Although they had much of the possession in the second half, they breached the Springbok defence only once, 58 minutes into the match.
Centre Conrad Smith ran a straight line off a Carter pass, slipped it to halfback Andy Ellis, who moved it on to replacement loose forward Sione Lauaki, who muscled over the line.
The home side needed to kick on from there but it met a wall of Springbok defence, which proved unbreakable.
Both teams struggled to control the ball from the kick-off, and neither obtained an advantage in the first half.
The Springboks started slowly and on the wrong side of referee Matt Goddard, finding themselves down 0-6 after just eight minutes. Goddard did his best to ruin the first half, with a constant stream of penalties and free kicks.
Springbok first-five-eighth Butch James used deep kick-offs to pin New Zealand in its half, a tactic which gradually brought South Africa back into the game.
Hooker Andrew Hore was strong taking the ball back but the All Blacks struggled to get out of their own territory, and fullback Percy Montgomery had his kicking radar on as the Springboks started to assert themselves on the match.
They scored the only try of the first half, after winger JP Pietersen was pushed out in the corner. The All Blacks could not control the following line-out and from the resulting 5m scrum Joe van Niekerk passed for Pietersen to dot down.
It was a great 22nd birthday present for Pietersen, and South African members of the crowd sang him Happy Birthday.
Mils Muliaina always threatened for the home side, while Carter chose his options wisely.
In the forwards, skipper Rodney So'oialo was tireless, while prop John Afoa showed no ill effects from a recent knee injury.
Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp came back well after a poor effort last week, while midfield back Jean de Villiers was all class.
• NZ v South Africa
Springboks 30 (JP Pietersen, Ricky Januarie tries; Percy Montgomery 5 penalty goals, Butch James penalty goal, Francois Steyn conversion).
All Blacks 28 (Sione Lauaki try, Dan Carter conversion, 6 penalty goals, dropped goal) Half-time: 17-15 Springboks.
Crowd: 29,126.
Referee: Matt Goddard.
Statistics
Possession: All Blacks 58%, Springboks 42%.
Territory: All Blacks 66%, Springboks 34%.
Line-outs: All Blacks 6 (lost 3), Springboks 12 (lost 1).
Scrums won: All Blacks 10, Springboks 4.
Penalties and free kicks: All Blacks 10 (free kicks 7), Springboks 9 (free kicks 7).
