Quinton de Kock and Stephen Cook put on a 133-run opening stand as South Africa reached 283-3 against New Zealand at stumps on the first day of the second Test after being put in to bat on Saturday.
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Du Plessis was on 57 not out at the break, a morale-boosting second half-century for him in his last 16 innings, the captain having dug in for almost three-and-a-half hours, facing 138 balls.
Temba Bavuma never got going properly and like Quinton de Kock on Saturday, succumbed to the hook shot against the tireless Neil Wagner, with Doug Bracewell taking a fine catch diving forward running in off the fine leg boundary.
He is the first wicketkeeper to open the batting for South Africa in a Test match since Denis Lindsay in 1965 to join a list that also includes Percy Sherwell, Tom Ward, Johnny Waite and Russell Endean.
South Africa were 358 for five at lunch, adding only 75 runs in 27 overs during the morning for the loss of two wickets.
The cherry on the top for the Proteas was the batting of Duminy (67 not out, 122 balls, 10 fours) who scored his first half-century for two years.
Wicketkeeper-batsman De Kock moved up from the middle order to replace regular opener Dean Elgar, who was ruled out on the morning of the match following an ankle sprain in training on Friday.
Du Plessis registered a ninth Test half-century, but it was hardly a knock to get people off their seats.
JP Duminy emerged from a run drought with his second half century in 16 innings since he made an unbeaten century against Sri Lanka in July 2014.
For New Zealand, Neil Wagner, the left-arm seamer, was the standout performer, as he toiled to return 5 for 86 in 39 overs.
Du Plessis hit 112 not out to help his side to a total of 481 for eight before declaring and then seeing Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn strike early as the tourists were reduced to 38 for three by the close on day two.
He could have dismissed du Plessis with first delivery of the morning, which nipped back and nearly took out offstump.
It wasn’t that easy to bat on with the New Zealand quicks maintaining disciplined line and length.
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Cook survived a referral in the fourth over, getting a slight inside edge to a full delivery from Trent Boult as New Zealand sought an lbw decision. It was rejected but had New Zealand referred the appeal to the third umpire, would have had Cook out, the replays suggesting the ball would have hit his leg stump. He would have walked back towards the dressing room on just score of 20 had New Zealand reviewed an LBW call which went against their favors by the on-field umpires.
