Closing the debate on the budget, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said the DA would be surprised to learn that international investors supported government policies.
"At the meeting of the International Investment Council there was broad support for the ANC economic policy. Investors recognise that affirmative action and black economic empowerment is necessary."
Earlier, in a vote-by-vote examination of the Budget's 34 departments, the DA called for a division only on health and labour.
Speaking on the health vote, DA spokesman Ryan Coetzee raised concerns about the slow pace at which the antiretroviral rollout programmes were being implemented, the shortage of nurses in the public health system and regulations pertaining to the price of medicines.
"Taken together, these problems constitute a crisis, which presumably is why the Minister of Health herself recently described the healthcare system to be in a shambles."
Coetzee said that while the DA hoped to support the health budget in future it could not support the 2004/05 budget.
The party also objected to several votes, among others public works, provincial and local government, GCIS, public enterprises and arts and culture.
Other votes, including the National Treasury, Education, and sports and recreation were approved unopposed.
The Budget will now to be considered by the National Council of Provinces. – Sapa.
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