This paper explores the impact of introducing planning interventions in semi-rural areas, under traditional leadership with indigenous land allocation. It focuses on a case study of the Nsimbini-Golokodo area identified as a priority for Rural Functional Area Plan and Draft Scheme, intended to guide rural planning within eThekwini Municipality. The case study will assist in drawing experiences, challenges and lesson learnt that can contribute to towards appropriate planning practices for rural areas. The study area is located at the outskirt of Durban, in the Southern region of the eThekwini Municipality. The study area was identified as a primary rural investment node in the Adams/Folweni Local Area Plan (2013). It is characterised with uncoordinated development and settlement which are not formalized (with no cadastral survey); on-going growth and densification of the area leading to challenges, such as provision of infrastructure and services, environmental pressures and poor linkages to commercial and economic opportunities. The existing services are not appropriate to deal with the current densities of 30 dwelling units per hectare. The land is predominantly under traditional leadership, which indigenous land allocation is practiced by iNduna. There is currently no conventional land use scheme in traditional areas, which poses as a challenge to the Municipality in meeting the target of having wall-to-wall schemes in the entire municipal jurisdiction. Whilst, the Municipality is introducing planning interventions for the area, indigenous knowledge and protocol needs to be observed. Urban sprawl continues as more citizens choose to settle in the outskirts of the City. The approach of the study will be to undertake a legislative framework, situational analysis, develop a spatial conceptual framework and settlement plan and draft land use scheme. The challenges and lessons learnt whilst undertaking the project have been discussed in detail in this paper.