Oswin Appollis sealed the victory for South Africa eight minutes from normal time.
Mohamed Salah scored the only goal of the match in the 45th minute.
Angola will face Zimbabwe next Friday.
South Africa’s opening group game at the AFCON is against Angola on December 22, followed by Egypt four days later.
Despite suffering a three-point deduction for fielding a suspended player, South Africa fought their way through with a crucial win.
South Africa is not the first to lose points for violating FIFA rules by fielding an ineligible player in World Cup qualification.
The Super Eagles will face Bafana Bafana on Tuesday at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein.
FIFA’s decision on the case could significantly impact the group standings and determine the fate of the African qualifiers.
“We cannot afford to miss out on the World Cup again.”
Nwabali was the architect of South Africa’s downfall against Nigeria in their AFCON semi-final clash on Wednesday.
