Mark the alternative that completes the gap with the correct...

Many South Africans remain poor and unemployment is high − a factor blamed for a wave of violent attacks against migrant workers from other African countries in 2008 and protests by township residents over poor living conditions during the summer of 2009.

Land redistribution is a crucial problem that continues existing. Most farmland is still white-owned. ________ land acquisition on a "willing buyer, willing seller" basis, officials have signaled that large-scale expropriations are on the cards. The government aims to transfer 30% of farmland to black South Africans by 2014.

               http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1071886.stm