Twitter users have condemned the DA's Natasha Mazzone for saying that her father was a dark-skinned man from Italy who built himself up from nothing to make a good life for his family.

JOHANNESBURG – Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Natasha Mazzone tweeted that her father arrived in South Africa from Naples in Italy and was dark and this set Twitter alight with responses condemning her.

The tweet was a response to an original tweet where she was clarifying that she follows DA leader Mmusi Maimane.

Let me make one thing VERY clear. Mmusi Maimane is my Leader. He has my support 100%. We work as a party for ALL South Africans. We have discussions and debates BECAUSE we believe in building a society where ALL South Africans have equal opportunities. We are UNITED for ALL SA! — Natasha Mazzone MP (@Natasha9Mazzone) May 6, 2018

When asked where her father is from, she tweeted that he was from Italy and was dark skinned…

My father arrived from Naples in Italy, he was dark and could not speak English or Afrikaans, but he was a great chef. He built himself up from nothing to make a good life for his family. I HONOUR and thank my father. — Natasha Mazzone MP (@Natasha9Mazzone) May 6, 2018

People responded to the tweet questioning how her father was dark-skinned.

Is someone gonna tell #NatashaMazzone what her "dark but couldn't speak a word of English or Afrikaans" Italian Father was classified by Apartheid South Africa? pic.twitter.com/JJ64TPQjNr — Harold Ferwood (@Harold_Ferwood) May 6, 2018

If #NatashaMazzone's dad was dark. We're did she get her paile skin tone? Was done it done at some chop shop? 😕 pic.twitter.com/pKNdy63FCP — Khathi Dikobo (@mpuwoa) May 7, 2018

Speaking to Bongani Bingwa, Mazzone conceded that she grew up in a privileged environment.

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