The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has withdrawn charges against Muslim major Fatima Isaacs who refused to remove her headscarf.

This followed brief military court proceedings at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town on Wednesday.

"[There will be] no further action as long as she complies with the restrictions, which is that she needs to wear a tight headdress that does not cover her ears and that it needs to be plain in colour," said her attorney, Amy-Leigh Payne from the Legal Resources Centre.

Isaacs was accused of "wilful defiance and disobeying a lawful command".

She has been a member of the armed forces for more than a decade and works as a clinical forensic pathologist at 2 Military Hospital in Wynberg.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said she was satisfied with the case being withdrawn.