Editor Alan Duggan said he was delighted with the magazine's newsstand and subscription performance, commenting: "Coming at the start of our 10th anniversary year, this is a tribute to the focus and dedication of the whole team, and an excellent morale booster at a time when other print titles are fading or even failing. We intend to build on this success by continuing to deliver content that surprises and delights our audience."
Publisher Neil Piper said effective multi-channel integration was key to the brand's ongoing success. "RamsayMedia was an early adopter of the 360-degree approach to content delivery and revenue streams, and our investment in people and technology is now paying dividends. Over the years, Popular Mechanics has established itself as the pre-eminent voice of science and technology in South Africa, and we take that responsibility seriously."
February's cover story is showcased with a pixellated eye representing a global infestation of malicious hackers, dodgy foreign agents, industrial spies and other interesting people, describing a secret war that threatens national security, economic stability... "and possibly even you". Other articles focus on desirable gadgets, a radical racing yacht, Hollywood's most plausible sci-fi movies, a cosmic "beauty contest", and a two billion-year-old natural nuclear reactor in Gabon.
