Hundreds of striking bus drivers were engaged in a tense stand-off with police in Durban's Botha Gardens on Wednesday.

Police with riot gear blocked the bus drivers from marching down Durban's West Street.

The drivers were joined by striking Durban Solid Waste workers.

The protesting workers sang and carried banners, some of which read: "Remant Alton is dead" and "Fat cats your time is over".

Members of the South African Police Service and the eThekwini Metro Police kept a close vigil on the protesting workers.

Remant Alton bus drivers embarked on illegal protest action leading to the dismissal of 937 employees.

Of those, 810 were bus drivers — the company's entire complement of drivers.

The workers are demanding that they be employed by the eThekwini Municipality as they claimed there was financial mismanagement within the bus service.

Remant Alton won the contract to run the city's bus service in 2003.

Sapa