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Mashatile spearheaded the failed mission for regime change in Mangaung, where Zuma was re-elected as president of the ANC in 2012. The relationship between the two soured when Zuma elevated Nomvula Mokonyane as premier and ignored Mashatile, who was then Gauteng chairman.
Mashatile's remarks that there is a better alternative to e-tolls in Gauteng signals he is ready to oppose the national leaders of the ANC. His bitterness after being demoted from minister of arts and culture to an ordinary MP makes matters worse.
Gauteng said it will support Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed Zuma, who is said to prefer a woman to take over from him.
It is likely Zuma will get a hostile reception whenever he visits Gauteng - and it may get worse than the booing he suffered from the crowd during Nelson Mandela's memorial service.
Zuma-backer Gwede Mantashe has recently been at loggerheads with his deputy secretary-general, Jessie Duarte, over e-tolls. The issue has the potential to deepen the division between the Gauteng executive and the national executive.
It is the people of Gauteng who will choose to vote for or against the ANC in future, not the national leadership. If Pretoria fails to strike a deal in favour of Gauteng's taxpayers, the party could lose its majority in the province.
Mashatile's popularity will grow as Zuma's fades. Mashatile will be out to prove he has the interests of Gauteng's people at heart, and is likely to mount challenges on other issues too.
Zuma's failure to show up at the Gauteng conference to deliver the closing remarks at the weekend indicates he wanted to avoid possible embarrassment.
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