The Popular Mechanics South Africa magazine has officially shut down and will no longer be publishing print or online content, it has been confirmed.

The magazine, which has been a tech staple in South Africa for years, released its last issue, the January/February 2023 edition, in stores during December. The issue will have a shelf life until the end of February, according to a source.

My attention was first brought to the shutdown of the magazine by Brendon Petersen of Reframed.

According to people who've worked on it, Popular Mechanics SA is no more. Apparently, the December 2022 issue was the last one.

— Brendon Petersen (@yesthatbrendon) January 16, 2023

I have since confirmed the magazine’s shutdown with a source who worked at the company. The closure is also mentioned in the From The Editor letter in the last issue.

In the letter, it states:

“The reason why this production cycle in particular has been bittersweet, is because this is the very last issue of Popular Mechanics (South Africa edition) that we will be publishing. Significant increases in costs in recent times have had knock-on effects, and the result is that it’s no longer viable to create the magazine.”

If you’re a subscriber, you should have heard from the subscription department. But you can also contact them on subscriptions@habarimedia.com for a refund.

This marks the latest closure in the local technology media industry, with print publications and online outlets feeling the pressure of local challenges.