A new feature of the Lesotho landscape are great numbers of improved pit latrines with white chimneys, which are easy to build and hygienic, but hardly to be found in neighbouring South Africa. Their main improvement on the old pit latrines, still in use in the Republic, is that they keep flies that have come into contact with human faeces away from humans and their food, thus helping prevent dysentery. With this design, once the flies are in the pit they never get out again.

 

Typically, flies enter the latrine when someone opens the door, and then fly down through the latrine seat and hole and then into the pit itself. With the old design, they would then escape the way they came in, but with the new latrines they're attracted by the light at the top of the chimney, which is sealed with gauze. As long as people remember to close the lavatory seat and keep the latrine door shut, thus keeping light out of the latrine, this is pretty foolproof, keeping the flies buzzing harmlessly in the pit and chimney