Saggers' next Test came in the 1949 tour of South Africa, where he was Australia's first choice wicket-keeper for all five Test matches. In light of the successful 1948 tour of England, Saggers commented "give me South Africa now, but I wouldn't care to insure her future at double the rate I'd insure Australia's." In the first warm up match against Natal Saggers scored 17 and took four catches, and in the second against North Eastern Transvaal he took one catch and made two stumpings, but was not needed to bat in either innings. He made 32 runs with three stumpings and three catches against the South African XI, made two stumpings but did not bat against the Orange Free State, and then scored one and nought not out against the Transvaal.