Hundreds of municipal workers began gathering at Currie's Fountain stadium in Durban on Friday for a protest against the SA Local Government Association (Salga).
There was a heavy police presence outside the stadium, with a number of Nyala riot vehicles and a water cannon parked prominently.
The protest was organised by the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) against Salga's intention to appeal against a labour court ruling.
Earlier this year, the labour court upheld a wage curve agreement between the collective bargaining parties, signed in April 2010.
Under the agreement, some workers would receive back pay from September 2009.
The workers were expected to march through the Durban city centre to hand over a memorandum at the city hall.