The country's most powerful teachers' union has vowed to continue the strike next week if government did not meet their demands within 48 hours.
This is the message given to thousands of strikers, including teachers, at Currie's Fountain in Durban on Thursday by Dan Mabuyakhulu, the provincial chairperson of South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu).
"We have given government 48 hours to meet our demands otherwise similar strike action can be expected next week."
More disgruntled public servants continued to arrive at Curries Fountain ahead of mass action planned for later on Thursday.
The marchers, numbering in their thousands and representing eight different unions, were expecting to hand over a memorandum to KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Speaker Willis Mchunu after a march into the city.
A large contingent of police were present and organisers said that they expected 215 buses to bring workers to the march.
In a rare show of solidarity between ideologically diverse trade unions, protesters chanted and toyi-toyied while displaying placards stating "If you pay peanuts you will get monkeys", "Geraldine, how do you expect us to service the country with six percent" and "No service if no decent increase".
The disruption of matrics, who are currently writing trial examinations, was kept to a minimum as some teachers attended school before leaving to join the gathering at Curries Fountain.
Pupils at Durban Girls' Secondary School were busy with examinations today despite a number of teachers going on strike while Durban High School recorded almost full attendance among its teachers.
Reservoir Hills Secondary School went ahead with scheduled examinations with the assistance of parents and Sastri College, which is situated next to Currie's Fountain Sports Ground, continued with their schedule as well.
In KwaMashu, hundreds of pupils were seen walking along the major roads after they were turned away at the gates after making their way to schools this morning.
Senior pupils at John Dube High School said that they would teach themselves if their teachers were not there.
North of the city, 48 percent of the school pupil population was present at Avoca Secondary.
Principal at the Avonford Secondary in Phoenix, Kisten Munsamy said even though only six pupils turned up today, school would carry on as normal. He also said that only 15 percent of teachers turned up at school and that they would remain in school with the pupils until the end of the school day.
Paramedics and other essential service employees not on duty today will also be joining the march.
Paramedic Zinhle Khuzwayo said that off-duty staff were told that they would be contacted if they were required to work.
Business continued as normal in the CBD with no notable increase in police presence or traffic, however this was expected to change drastically when the march began.