Gunfire in Juba as Ramaphosa jets in

Gunfire erupted inside the main military barracks in the South Sudanese capital Juba yesterday as ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa headed for the troubled country to begin his mission there as President Jacob Zuma's special envoy.

The body of a government soldier lay in the street outside the military headquarters and a column of smoke billowed into the sky from inside the compound, sending panicked residents running through the streets.

"We're fighting over money," one soldier shouted from the entrance of the Jebel barracks.

The government is rolling out a payment system that requires troops and civil servants to be paid in person to ensure wages are not paid to "ghost" workers .

The unrest appeared to be confined to the barracks, although government forces swiftly deployed in heavy numbers in surrounding streets, setting up roadblocks.

Thousands of civilians have been killed in an almost three month-long conflict between the government forces of President Salva Kiir and rebels loyal to Riek Machar, who Kiir sacked as his deputy in July.

Although Juba has been largely calm since fighting first broke out in mid-December, rebel threats of an eventual assault on the city have left many anxious.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said Ramaphosa will spend a week in South Sudan and member countries of the Djibouti-based Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the regional body leading international mediation.

Ramaphosa's role is separate from that of former president Thabo Mbeki, who is the AU's special representative to both Sudans.

South Africa had trained more than 1600 South Sudanese officials in policing, diplomacy, public service, justice, education and mineral affairs, the department said.