Disgruntled municipal employees on Tuesday blockaded traffic on Durban's N3 and M13 highways with municipal refuse trucks. 

Traffic authorities said traffic coming from Sherwood into Durban was blocked.

Metro spokesperson senior superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said he could not comment because he was busy dealing with the strike. 

According to the vice-chairperson of the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), Queen Mbatha, the action was in line with the ongoing water and sanitation dispute.

The municipality said on Monday that it was seeking an urgent court interdict to stop the strike.. 

Last week, municipal water and sanitation employees downed tools after they demanded answers to what they deemed unlawful promotion of a number of members of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association.

Mbatha said at least 50 MK veterans were promoted.

"Imatu is supporting the employees, who are demanding responses. We too want responses and for the employer to explain to their employees how they will resolve this issue," she said.

In a statement a week ago, city manager Sipho Nzuza said the workers were demanding to be elevated to the grade 10 salary level, which they claimed the MK veterans were receiving.

According to the workers, the MK veterans, who were employed by the city in 2016, were upgraded from grade 4.

"The city is of the view that all human resource processes were followed to the letter. There are internal HR processes that our employees know must be followed in the event they feel there is a need to be regraded," Nzuza said.