South Africa is now on track to comfortably win the Test and clean sweep the series 3-0. The Proteas made 409 on their first innings and then forced Pakistan to follow-on after bowling the tourists out for 156 and they now are 1-14 in their second innings.
Abbott came into the South African team to replace champion all-rounder Jacques Kallis with the Proteas looking to select a bowler rather than an extra batsman, and now two days into the Test and it has proven to be a masterstroke.
South Africa finished the opening day at Supersport Park at 6-334 and on Saturday with AB de Villiers recording his 16th Test century, the Proteas went on to make 409 before being bowled out.
That gave the Proteas' bowling attack that had Rory Kleinveldt and Abbott replacing Morne Morkel and Kallis from the winning first two Tests plenty to bowl at and the pressure was on the Pakistan batsmen from the outset.
Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat did fight hard in the opening partnership, but when Farhat was out for 30, LBW to Vernon Philander, it started a procession of wickets.
Pakistan was 1-46 when Farhat was out and then suddenly 3-56 with Hafeez gone for 18 and Azhar Ali for six.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq was next to go when he was caught by Alviro Petersen off Abbott for 10. The score was then 4-75 and then 5-95 when Asad Shafiq was gone for six when trapped in front by Dale Steyn.
Wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed was the next Pakistan batsmen to head back to the pavilion for 17 and then despite Younis Khan continuing to fight hard, he ran out of partners with Saeed Ajmal gone for a first ball duck, Ehsan Adil for nine and Mohammad Irfan a second ball duck.
Younis was then the last wicket to fall for 33 with Pakistan all out for 156 and still a massive 253 behind South Africa.
Abbott was the star with the ball for South Africa in an incredible performance taking 7-29 from 11.4 overs on his Test debut. Philander took 2-30 and Steyn 1-25.
Proteas captain Graeme Smith had the option to force the follow-on and sent Pakistan back into bat and on the very first ball of the innings, Steyn bowled Hafeez.
Since then, Pakistan moved to 1-14 at stumps on the second day with Ali not out on five and Younis back at the crease on eight.
Earlier, de Villiers quickly brought up his century to start the day as South Africa continued to build a big first innings total.
Philander ended up taking his overnight tally of 45 to a career-best 74 before becoming Younis' ninth Test wicket in his 82nd match. De Villiers then fell for 121 and eventually South Africa was all out for 409.
Rahat Ali claimed 6-127 for Pakistan from 27.2 overs with Ehsan Adil taking 2-54 and Younis 1-28.