Replacement fly-half Manie Libbok missed a penalty goal attempt from 35 metres in the last minute which would have secured the title for South Africa, who had won their four previous matches.
The Springboks remain favourites to win the championship but Argentina gave themselves an outside chance of lifting the crown for the first time.
They will have to beat South Africa with a bonus point in a return match in Mbombela next Saturday and prevent the Springboks securing any points.
“Credit to Argentina, they put us under a lot of pressure,” said Salmaan Moerat, standing in for regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who was rested.
“For large parts of the game we played good rugby but they pulled it through.”
An Argentine win seemed unlikely when the Springboks made a blazing start in a match played in 36 degrees Celsius (97 Fahrenheit) heat, leading 17-0 inside 13 minutes.
South Africa won a penalty when they pushed their opponents off the ball in the first scrum. Fly-half Handre Pollard kicked for touch to set up a line-out and full-back Aphelele Fassi was put into a gap to score a fourth-minute try. Centre Jesse Kriel added another try and Pollard kicked the conversion and a penalty as South Africa seemed to take control.
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