South African mediators say new laws will help resolve strikes faster

Nerine Kahn, director of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), told reporters the agency can now use "social pressure" from those affected by the strike, such as industry rivals and bodies, as a reason to bring disputing parties back to the negotiating table.

The labour law previously only allowed the CCMA to step in if the parties in dispute agreed.

"We have more powers when there is a strike that is going on and it's getting a little bit out of control and it is too long, and the parties won't agree to come together," Kahn said.

Last year Africa's most advanced economy was sapped by a record five-month platinum strike where wage negotiations chaired by the CCMA fell apart numerous times. Thousands of manufacturing workers also downed tools for four weeks in July.

Ratings agencies downgraded South Africa's credit status partly due to the strikes.

Reforms in labour laws have been hard to push through. The right to strike is enshrined in South Africa's post-apartheid constitution, allowing unions to argue that any alteration of strike laws is an infringement of their basic freedoms. The new law was approved by parliament in December and took effect on Jan. 1.

(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)