Graeme Smith pleaded for South Africa to avoid panic measures after England's victory in first Test in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

"From the top down, from selectors to the coach, we need stability," the captain told a news conference.

"Every time we start again we go back to the beginning, it's crucial that we stabilise.

"Every time we set a goal we end up starting over on a new goal."

South Africa have had four coaches and four convenors of selectors in the past five years, and Smith said the uncertainty was affecting the team.

England, chasing a target of 142, needed just 9.4 overs of the final day's play to knock off the 49 runs required as they won by seven wickets to complete an eighth consecutive victory.

Smith said the 57 extras South Africa conceded in the first innings, among them 35 no-balls, was an important factor.

"The extras ended up costing us," Smith said.

"In a Test you can't give freebies away, if you do they end up biting you in the arse."

Smith is also concerned at his team's failure to compete at crucial stages.

"We've got to play good cricket for five days, you can't play well for a day or a session-and-a-half.

"We're very good at coming back when we're in trouble, but it's at the beginning of a game and when a match is on an even keel that we need to play well."

South Africa, however, are struggling with injuries. Opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs has an injured hand, left-arm spinner Nicky Boje is recovering from thyroid surgery, all rounder Jacques Kallis is unable to bowl because of an ankle problem and fast bowler Andre Nel is out with a back injury.

Nel and Gibbs are scheduled to play in domestic limited-overs matches on Wednesday.

"It would be nice to have Nicky back, and Herschelle is the type of guy who can win a Test match," Smith said. "But Jacques bowled for about 15 minutes in the nets the other day and he woke up stiff."

The next Test in the five-match series is due to start in Durban on Sunday.

"Durban offers us an opportunity," Smith added. "We have to regroup quickly, but if we play the kind of game we know we can play, we can beat them.

"Only one or two days can make a key difference, and there's still a helluva lot of cricket to be played in this series."

The South African squad for the second Test will be named on Wednesday.