England, set a mammoth 474 runs for victory, collapsed to 133 all out in their second innings 40 minutes before tea on the fourth day.
No England batsman made a fifty in an innings where former captain Alastair Cook's 42 was the top score.
England, who resumed on one without loss, lost four wickets before lunch and a further six before tea.
Man-of-the-match Vernon Philander led South Africa's attack on Monday with three wickets for 24 runs in 10 overs, while left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took three for 42 in 12.
Returning South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who did not play in the Proteas' 211-run defeat in the first Test at Lord's following the birth of his first child, made the bold decision to bat first after winning the toss and was rewarded by a total of 335 featuring several fifties including Hashim Amla's 78.
England could only manage 205 in reply, with Joe Root making 78 in his second Test as captain.
Amla (87), Dean Elgar (80) and du Plessis (63) piled on the runs in South Africa's second innings 343 for nine declared.
But they never looked like getting close as South Africa won a Test at Trent Bridge for the first time since 1965 despite being without suspended fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, banned from this match for swearing at Ben Stokes at Lord's.
The series continues at The Oval on July 27.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
